Rightfully Yours
by Liz Hollow
Summary: Hilda and Cheren are the perfect couple. At least, that's what Hilda thinks. So, when Cheren breaks up with her, she's determined to win him back. After all, she's "seriously" in love with him, and somehow, that has to be enough.
1. Serious

**Serious**

"How about this one, Hilda?"

Skyla held up a tiny—and I meant _tiny_—blue dress, forcing it into my hand and pushing it against my chest. She took a step back, furrowing her eyebrows in thought as she scrutinized me. The hem of the dress barely hit my thighs, and I wouldn't deny that my curves wouldn't necessarily appreciate this dress once it was actually on me. The cut of the dress, on the other hand, was entirely conservative; it didn't dip enough to even give a hint of cleavage. But after a minute, Skyla smiled, snapping her fingers and nodding.

"I like it," she announced, bouncing forward and taking the dress back from me. I couldn't say that I agreed with her, and when I glanced at Elesa, it was clear she agreed with me. "This dress says, 'Look how sexy my legs are, but you're going to have to wait until later to find out what's on top. And _later_ specifically means after you propose to me. Then, this dress will come right off, and we can make love all night long!'"

Elesa and I exchanged a mocking look, and she reached forward and snatched the dress from Skyla. Sure, it was a nice dress to wear to a club, perhaps, but that would be because I was looking to get felt up. As for a fancy dinner that happened to include a marriage proposal, I didn't think the dress said, "Marry me." And I had gone way past the stage of trying to get my future fiancé in bed, so worrying about that was pointless.

"I'm the model here, and I don't like it," Elesa snapped at Skyla, throwing the blue dress onto the pile of accumulating dresses in the corner of the large dressing room. They typically reserved this space for brides trying on wedding dresses, but I knew the manager of the store—not to mention, I would be here trying on wedding dresses soon. This was just practice.

I smiled at Skyla, attempting to be a bit more comforting that Elesa. They got along great, but Elesa had an attitude that wasn't always compatible with Skyla's carefree demeanor. That, of course, was expected. Elesa trained electric-type Pokémon, whereas Skyla trained flying-type, so it was only natural that their personalities clashed.

"Sorry, Sky." I touched her arm, and the pout vanished from her lips. "I need something elegant… something that says, 'Yes'. I don't want to intimidate him; I bet he'll be really nervous about proposing, and if he knows that I'm going to say yes just by looking at me, that may relieve some of his stress. What do you think, Elesa?"

She nodded, putting her hands on her hips. A few seconds passed before she wandered out of the dressing room and back into the store without another word. She returned with a black dress, a tad longer than the blue dress, but less like something a hooker would wear. It fanned out, perfect for spinning in, and the top was low enough to show a little something but still conservative enough to be appropriate for a fancy restaurant. A little pink broach just below the bosom kept the dress at a level of simplicity.

"Perfect."

* * *

><p>When Cheren picked me up, all of my friends gathered around me to wish me luck. It was sweet of them, really, to be so concerned with my love life. I had, after all, been dating him for a few years now, and it was only natural that they felt our marriage was of upmost importance to them, too. But they had to know that I didn't need luck. Our relationship was perfect, just like this dress, and the hints Cheren had given me about marriage were enough to guarantee the outcome of this night.<p>

Sure, it had been a little rocky when we first started off. Cheren was intelligent, and I was just the girl who liked to have fun. We had been childhood friends, and even after going our separate ways for our adventures, we kept in touch. After we both returned home, we made our relationship official, and things fell into place from there. I taught him how to have fun, and he captivated my heart. He was my best friend and my future husband.

It was only fitting that the best friend and the heroine marry; any other ending would be impossible. So, tonight, when he proposed to me, I would say yes, and we would live happily ever after. It was the only ending we deserved.

We walked together to the Striaton City Gym, where we would be dining, holding hands and talking. I found myself continuously searching for any signs of a ring on him; there was no bulge in his suit jacket pocket, none in his pants pocket. He probably had it inside his jacket where I couldn't see him. I loved that he was trying to surprise me.

Chili, Cress, and Cilan all came over to seat us when we arrived. It was unusual for two guests to get their own private seating by the three Gym leaders, but I knew them pretty well. Cheren must have mentioned to them what he planned to do, as well, since they kept glancing at my hand as if expecting to see a ring.

The dinner itself was lovely. The food was cooked to perfection, and the service was delightful. But my fingers were itching for that ring, waiting for Cheren to make his move. By the end of dessert, I began to get nervous. I excused myself from the table, fled to the bathroom, and fixed my hair, dress, and make up.

"Just give it a minute, Hilda," I told myself, clutching the edge of the granite counter and staring into the mirror. I took a deep breath, pushing my hair behind my ears before walking back out, ready to say yes.

"Are you all right? You look a little flustered," Cheren asked as I sat back down, and I nodded. He smiled—I always loved that smiled—and reached across the table to grab my hand. "Well, if you're sure you're okay… we need to talk… about the future. Specifically, we need to talk about the future with us."

Oh my. This was it! This was definitely it! Everything that I had ever dreamed of happening was officially coming true. And what girl didn't dream of getting married some day? I was no different than the rest; in fact, I probably wanted it _more_. Though I had always been fairly independent—especially after my Pokémon League journey—there came a time when every girl wanted a man to dote on her. And that time was now.

So, I squeezed his hand and grinned. "Absolutely."

"Ever since I met you, I knew you were someone special." Cheren lowered his gaze to the hand he held, running his thumb over my skin. "You've been my best friend for years, and I appreciate all you've done for me. Bianca, too. I don't know if I've mentioned enough how much you mean to me, and I appreciate that you taught me that pure knowledge isn't the answer to everything. If you hadn't beaten me all those times, I probably wouldn't be who I am now."

Whether intentionally or not, I certainly did change Cheren's attitude towards the world. When we each left on our journeys, we met up occasionally and battled; much to his chagrin, I won every time. It killed him, I knew, to be defeated by someone who knew less about Pokémon than he did. But without our battles, he never would have realized that there was more to battling than just knowing skill sets. He needed heart, too.

"I thought this would be really difficult," he continued, his blue eyes flashing back up to mine. "You look lovely as always, so I thought I might get all tongue-tied. But you look like you truly understand the situation. I appreciate that, Hilda. I really do. You're making this whole thing so much easier for me."

"Oh, of course!" I exclaimed, but I cleared my throat and let him go on.

He pulled his hand away from me, reaching into his jacket. I held my breath, expecting him to come out with a ring, but he pulled out a tiny Poké Ball instead. "You know I'm going to the Pokémon Academy in the fall." He held the Ball out towards me, spinning it on the very tips of his fingers before catching it in his vice grip again. "This is the perfect opportunity for me to get serious again. We've had a lot of fun, but I think you understand that this I need to become more serious for the Academy."

At this point, I began to feel a bit like a bobble-head. I secretly wished he would just get on with it, but I said, instead, "I _do_ understand—whole-heartedly."

"Great. That takes a load off my shoulders." Cheren put the Poké Ball down on the table and ran a hand through his dark hair. "I won't deny that things change when we age. We have realizations that improve our lives, and becoming more serious is one of those things I just have to do. That's why I think you and I—"

"Yes!"

"—should break up."

Cheren and I stared at each other for several seconds as we registered what we both said. It was as though someone took a mallet and pounded on my heart, stamping it into dust. I felt the tears well in my eyes before I could logically think the whole situation through; I couldn't have heard him correctly. We were the perfect couple—two best friends who grew up together and knew each other's secrets and were so desperately in love. This didn't make any sense.

"What did you just say?" I asked, rubbing my hands along the beautiful dress Elesa had picked out for me. It was perfect for the perfect night with the perfect man. So, why didn't this feel perfect anymore?

"We should break up…" Cheren repeated, more hesitantly this time, but the words rang loudly and clearly in my head. _Break up_. That wasn't even close to _get married_.

I stood up, throwing my napkin down on the table and putting my hands on my hips. The tears dripped steadily from my eyes now, and Cheren looked more and more uncomfortable as they streamed faster.

"I thought you were going to propose!" I shouted, and his cheeks immediately turned pink. The restaurant, which had been filled with a steady buzz of voices, fell silent. Everyone turned to watch the two of us, and even Chili, Cress, and Cilan dropped what they were doing to stare at us. Apparently no one expected this, but it didn't make me feel any better.

"Propose?" Cheren swallowed, sinking lower into his chair. "Hilda, I've had my life planned out for a long time. You knew that I wanted to go to the Pokémon Academy. And if I want to do that, then I need to be with someone more goal-oriented. You're successful, but you have no ambition. You just do whatever you want. I need someone serious."

I hiccupped now, shaking my head and though this would make it all better. "But I'm seriously in love with you, Cheren."

"Hilda…"

I stomped as I walked away, refusing to let this be real. If I left, then it never happened. When I returned home, I would crawl into bed, and everything would be all right in the morning. Cheren would regret breaking up with me, and he would come crawling back to me. He would bring his grandmother's ring and propose, and we would have our happily ever after.

But he didn't. When I woke up after a long night of crying, he wasn't there with a ring. And we weren't going to have our happily ever after, and we would never be that perfect couple.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>This fanfiction is based off a Broadway musical/movie. There's one song in particular that inspired me to write this, haha, because it's so cute and sad and beautiful. Anyway, I won't say which musical it is yet. I think it may be obvious as the fanfiction continues (or after this chapter, LOL). I would almost guarantee that every person in the world has seen the movie (there is one line in particular that is right from it, I think). But I think the musical is better developed.

Anyway, if you know what it is, yay! How exciting! I'll tell everyone what it is in the end, but I don't want to spoil this whole fanfiction for those who don't already know how it's going to end. Of course, seeing as this is a fanfiction, there will be plenty of twists and turns in this, too.

I will admit… I'm having trouble updating "Speechless". While I get back in the groove for that, I'll be working on other things. Updating will be sporadic for the time being for everything.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the musical on which this fanfiction is based which will be revealed later.

**EDIT/UPDATE** - As though it weren't obvious enough before, allow me to make myself clear: This is based off the Legally Blonde musical - a parody of it, in fact. I will never and have never claimed the plot as my own. Thanks for reading.


	2. What He Wants

**Chapter Two – What He Wants**

I stayed in my bed for days, wallowing in self-pity and waiting for Cheren to come apologize and beg to take me back. My friends came and went, pleading for me to open the door and get out of bed, but I ignored them. The only friend I needed right now was Cheren, and since he wasn't coming, my next option was my box of chocolates. But they were almost gone; they, too, abandoned me after being with me for so long. After the third day in bed I chucked the box of chocolates against the wall for good measure.

Stupid Pokémon Academy. Stupid Cheren. Stupid box of chocolates.

Whatever happened between Cheren and I had been meaningless—a whole friendship gone. It was like our lives together never even happened. We never spent long hours together after Bianca went home, never kissed for the first time when I returned home after defeating Alder, never gave ourselves to the other, never made promises to stay together. All of those memories were now false; without Cheren, they meant nothing.

A bang on the door didn't even distract me from my mourning of my dead relationship. It was constant background noise, anyway. Usually my friends would shout words of encouragement and pity at me through the door, and when I didn't respond, they would leave. Ten minutes later, another friend arrived to try her luck. The cycle went on and on from around ten in the morning until ten at night.

But the girl behind the door didn't shout words of encouragement or pity this time, and she didn't stop banging.

"Hilda, you open this door right now!" Elesa's voice called through the wood, muffled only slightly. "You can't stay in there forever! You need to go out and meet someone new. I'm sorry that Cheren broke up with you, but these things happen. You need to go test the waters again. So, get out of that bed, put some makeup on, get a slutty little dress, and go out!"

Ugh. Easy for her to say. She wasn't the one expecting a marriage proposal and getting a break up notice instead. No one understood how it felt. I loved Cheren; I grew up with him. Now—to suddenly have him taken away (by his choice, nonetheless) was like a bullet in the back. I didn't want to test the waters; I wanted to be with Cheren.

"I know you're listening in there, Hilda! You can't ignore me! I will break down this door if I have to," she continued when I didn't respond, and I curled up beneath my covers. "Hilda, you listen to me: you're better off without that know-it-all Cheren. Only super-smart serious snobs go to the Pokémon Academy. Do you really want to associate with that?"

Super-smart serious snobs? _That_ was what Cheren was looking for. I was apparently too fun for him, too laidback, and he wanted someone serious. Well, I could do that. I knew how to be serious. After all, I had been pretty serious when Ghetsis was trying to take over the world. Cheren understood that. He knew I could be serious.

I threw my covers off of me, swinging my legs out of my bed and rising to my feet. I unlocked my door before hurrying into my bathroom—the only other room I had been in since Cheren broke up with me—and turning on the shower. Elesa was right. Not about not wanting to associate with people who went to the Pokémon Academy, but about the types of people who went there. And that gave me an idea.

"All right, are you going out?" Elesa asked, standing outside the bathroom door now.

"No." I squirted shampoo into my hair, rinsing it as thoroughly as possible. After spending multiple days in bed without bathing, my hair looked like an oil slick. I couldn't even believe I let myself do that. "I mean, I'm going out, but I'm not going _out_ out. I'm going to go to the library to pick up some books."

Silence followed this, only the hiss of the shower speaking now. Then, after several seconds, Elesa asked, "You're what? I don't think I heard you right."

I was fairly certain that she _had_ heard me correctly. In all honesty, I didn't blame her for being surprised at my plans. I didn't typically go to the library on Friday nights, and although I had good grades in school, I didn't usually study. In fact, I wasn't entirely sure that I knew where the library even was. Nimbasa? Striaton?

"I'm going to the library!" I repeated anyway, moving onto conditioner. My poor hair needed heavy-duty treatment. "I need to pick up some study guides. I'm going to take the test to apply to the Pokémon Academy—specifically the Pokémon Professor Program. I'm going to show Cheren that I can be serious just like him. He's going to want me back."

"That wasn't what I meant by you being better off without him, Hilda! In fact, that's pretty much the opposite of what I said," Elesa cried, clearly exasperated by me.

_Yes_. I had my mind set now. A super-smart serious snob who went to the Pokémon Academy. That was exactly the kind of girl he wanted. And I could be that girl. Sure, I wasn't the brightest bulb in the batch, but the library could make me smarter. And sure, I wasn't particularly snobby, but if he was looking for attitude, he'd get it.

Perfect. Cheren would be begging me to marry him.

I finished cleaning up and got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my body before heading back out into my bedroom. Elesa sighed, sitting down on my bed and blabbering on about how this was a terrible idea. But what did she know? She had never been in love with Cheren. I knew him, and he would be so impressed by my decision. I was about to take initiative, after all, and that was another thing he wanted in a girl.

"Okay," I cut Elesa off, heading back into the bathroom with a pile of clothes and slamming the door behind me. "Here's the plan: first, I'm going to apply for and get into the Pokémon Academy Pokémon Professor Program; next, I'm going to impress him by showing off my amazing intellect, and he's going to fall in love with me all over again. Third, he's going to propose with his grandmother's ring, and we're going to get married and have the most beautiful wedding in the whole world."

Elesa laughed on the other side of the door. "Have you been sniffing Foongus spores?" she demanded, and I rolled my eyes. "Who are you kidding, Hilda? You have to be a genius to get into the Pokémon Academy. I don't care who you think you are. The admissions coordinators aren't going to know who you are in Kanto, and you'll never pass the entrance exam. Your chances of getting in are about as low as they come."

It was great to see that Elesa had so much faith in me. I took the opportunity to avoid conversation as I blow-dried my hair, but it left me time to think—maybe Elesa was right. Maybe the Pokémon Academy wouldn't let me in. It was a prestigious school for only the best and the brightest, but that was exactly why I needed to go! If I could get in there, Cheren would understand that I was exactly what he wanted. If I could get in, he would know that I could be smart and serious. Otherwise he would never accept me.

Besides, I was doing this for a very good reason. Love always won out in the end, didn't it? All those sappy romantic movies my mom watched ended the same way; the boy and the girl ended up together, and they lived happily ever after. Didn't I deserve my happily ever after? Didn't I deserve to end up with the boy I loved?

So, I would do this for love. I would find that library, read a book, and I would get into the Pokémon Academy.

I ran out of the bathroom, sitting beside Elesa on my bed and hugging her. "I'm going to do this, Elesa. I've never been surer about anything in my entire life, and I would appreciate it if you supported my decision. I can get into the Pokémon Academy—but I would have an even better chance if you helped me."

Elesa sighed, stiffening in my arms. After a moment, she relaxed and hugged me back. No matter how much she wanted to say I was wrong, I knew she wasn't going to. Maybe she was beginning to see that whatever way she looked at it, it was a great idea. Not only would I get Cheren back, but I would get a phenomenal education while doing it.

"The library closes at ten. We should get going," Elesa sighed, and I smiled, hugging her one more time.

* * *

><p>"Okay, I have the requirements for admission to the Pokémon Academy," Elesa said, waving a piece of paper at me. I had flooded myself with books, so one more piece of paper wouldn't hurt anything. However, the smell of library books—kind of like mildew and old people—filled the air around me, and I realized why I hadn't come to the library before this. But if I wanted to get Cheren back, I would need to get used to the smell.<p>

She sat down in the chair opposite me, holding the piece of paper in front of her face. "You need at least a 270 on the admittance exam. That means you can only get fifteen questions incorrect—five per section excluding the essay—so you need to acquaint yourself with practice exams and sample essay questions. No more partying."

I nodded, moving several test prep books into a bag to check out. I wouldn't even be able to escape the smell at home now.

"You'll also need an essay based on one of two questions that they ask, designed specifically for the Pokémon Professor Program. 'One, write an essay which adequately describes your experiences working with Pokémon; two, write an essay which adequately explains why you want to attend the Pokémon Academy'. This essay needs to be eloquent, well-developed, and it should fully answer the question asked. The questions are broad, so answering them completely and clearly is key to getting into the Academy," Elesa continued, her voice dry. Even I was becoming a tad overwhelmed by their expectations.

Elesa folded the paper over, moving down the list and adding more to my list of stressors. "Two letters of recommendation—I would get your letters from Professor Juniper and Professor Cedric; they know you and would write you phenomenal letters. If you can't get both, definitely get them from one of the Junipers and maybe Alder. Either way, your recommendations have to be outstanding."

Getting letters of recommendation would be no problem. I knew a lot of important people in the Unova region—all the gym leaders, all the Elite Four members, all the Pokémon Professors… but that had to be the one thing I had going for me. The test would be difficult, and I was never a strong writer. My recommendations would have to make up for what I lacked.

"You've got a lot of work ahead," Elesa pointed out, and I pouted. Boy, did I know it.

* * *

><p>How I did it, I didn't know. But I had done everything I needed to do to prepare for the admissions process for the Pokémon Academy. Whatever I got on the entrance exam would make or break me, though. My essay turned out all right after having it revised and edited by pretty much every person I ever met, and my recommendations were, as Elesa told me they had to be, outstanding.<p>

So, the only thing I was waiting for now were my test scores. I studied and studied and studied, reading more words than I had probably ever read in my entire life and studying for countless hours. As each of my friends came banging on my door, pleading for me to come out and have fun, I turned them down. I was serious now.

But it was worth it. If I got Cheren back, it would all be worth it.

And I would wait and wait and wait for those test scores. They were all that mattered now.

A banging on the door shook me from my nervous pacing—which I had taken up considering I never had time to go to the gym anymore—and I ran over to open it. Skyla and Elesa let themselves in, waving an envelope in the air and jumping up and down and screaming. I never saw them so excited about anything in their whole lives.

"Hilda! Hilda, they're here!" Skyla shouted, holding the envelope towards me. I reached for it, my hand shaking, and Skyla nodded. "The scores."

I bit my lip, running my finger beneath the fold and tearing the letter open. My heart beat against my chest so furiously that it almost hurt, and I could feel a thin layer of sweat begin to build above my brow. I had never once been this nervous even on my journey. Taking on people who wanted to rule the world was less stressful than this.

"270, 270!" Elesa whispered, crossing her fingers.

I pulled the paper out of the envelope, closing my eyes and letting the envelope fall to the floor. I exhaled slowly, unfolding the slip and opening my eyes to read the total score.

"271!" I screamed, throwing the paper into the air and jumping into Elesa and Skyla's arms.

I had a chance. I had a chance of making it into the Pokémon Academy. I was going to win Cheren back, and we would be serious together. He would want me when he saw me there. All I needed was the acceptance letter.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> My goodness, this chapter reminded me how painful applying for college was. And just think—I get to do it again for graduate school! Yay… Recommendations and essays about yourself and tests galore.

And then once you're at college, you pity every single person who ever has to go through the college admissions process. It stinks.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed chapter two!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the musical on which this fanfiction is based.


	3. The Academy Variations

**Chapter Three – The Academy Variations**

_Congratulations. You have been accepted to the Pokémon Academy of Kanto's Pokémon Professor Training Program._

I let the letter slip from my fingers. I couldn't feel anything anymore; my fingers went numb, my legs felt like jelly, and my brain had melted into mush. The words floated around in my head, filling in the empty void my brain once encompassed. They swirled, dashing in front of my eyes and screaming at me over and over and over.

_Accepted_.

Skyla picked up my letter, her eyes traveling across the page several times. After a minute or so, she covered her mouth with her hand and passed the page off to Elesa. "Holy sh—"

"Unbelievable. I can't believe she did it," Elesa muttered, throwing my _acceptance_ letter into the air and falling back onto my bed. I didn't even care that she doubted my ability to get in; I was just so happy that I did. And as my brain started to restore itself, I fell back onto the bed beside Elesa and screamed in delight.

Everything that I worked so hard to achieve—all those long nights in the smelly library reading study guide after study guide after study guide—actually paid off. Somehow, and maybe Elesa was right about me, I got into the Pokémon Academy. I was _accepted_. And that one word made all of those long nights worth it in the end.

Because _accepted_ meant more than just that to me. I didn't just get into the Academy; I belonged there. _Accepted_ meant that they wanted me, they needed me, and someone there actually saw my potential. Maybe I was just a name on a piece of paper to them, but now I was going to be more than that. They'd see.

And Cheren would accept me, too. That was what _accepted_ really meant. I was about to get my chance to prove who I could be to him. And I was halfway there—I was smart enough, serious enough, to get into the school he always wanted to attend. When he saw how hard I worked to get there, he would accept me just like the Academy did. The happily ever after was almost ours.

It was time to pack up the bags and go. The Pokémon Academy was about to be hit by a storm named Hilda.

* * *

><p>Kanto was nothing like Unova, and it was nothing like what I expected it to be. The first thing I noticed was the smell of freshly mown grass and evergreen trees; it reminded me of the relaxing scents my Lilligant released from its flower. It smelled so clean and fresh, nothing like the smoggy air in Unova. My nose and lungs liked it.<p>

The next thing I noticed was the sky. Though there were rural areas in Unova, they were spread amongst metropolises and small. Here, almost every town I passed through was just that—a town. There were a few cities, like Saffron and Celadon, but for the most part, Kanto was more country than Unova. The buildings were shorter and tinier, perhaps comfortable for small families. The more I looked, the more trees and sky I saw.

Then there was the Pokémon Academy. Situated in Viridian, it spread across about one hundred acres. Unova had trainer schools, sure, but we didn't have anything quite like this. There were dormitories for students to live in, a library for students to study in (like I was ever going in one of those again), a cafeteria for students to dine in, and, of course, classrooms for students to learn in. The chances of me finding Cheren here seemed slim to none.

I walked towards the crowd of people grouped in front of what appeared to be the center of the school. There were tables lined up in front of the building with signs with A-H, I-Q, and R-Z listed on them. I got all the papers and signed all the forms I needed, and then they shooed me away to a circle of people on the lawn.

Elesa was right about that, too. The people here really were super-smart serious snobs. They all stood in line with their noses in the air, no one speaking even a word to anyone else. And when I got to the table and wanted to ask questions, the person behind me just cleared his throat all impatiently. At least they were trying to get people to communicate and socialize with those random circles of people—but even those groups looked sad.

They just needed someone like me to perk everyone up, that was all.

"—and I worked for years doing my own research in Sinnoh. I found a new species of plant that the Pokémon eat that is extremely beneficial for their overall hormone levels," one girl was saying as I made my way over to one of the circles. Everyone looked just as bored as she sounded, but it seemed pretty impressive to me.

There were five other people in this circle besides the girl, and all five of them were of the male variety—but, much to my chagrin, none of them were Cheren. One of the guys did look familiar, though. A brown-haired, brown-eyed guy, he had a young-looking face, but I had to admit that he was cute even by my standards. But where did I know him from?

I sat down beside the girl and smiled at her; she didn't give one in return. "I really like your shirt," I said, and she rolled her eyes. I addressed the rest of the group instead. "Aren't you guys so excited? Our first day at the Pokémon Academy! I mean, this has to be what so many people have dreamed of, and we're living it!"

"We were just doing introductions," the vaguely familiar guy said, and I got the first smile I had seen since I'd been here.

"Oh, all right." I thought for a moment; my résumé wasn't nearly as impressive as the part of the one I had heard from the girl. But I got into the Pokémon Academy just like the rest of them, so I had to have something that separated me from the crowd. Then again, they didn't need to know that I was the Champion from Unova quite yet. "Well, my name is Hilda. I'm from Unova. I worked with my friend Elesa designing clothes for a few years. I wasn't great, but I needed something to do with my time."

Everyone stared at me with slacked jaws for a minute, but it wasn't until I looked at the vaguely familiar guy that I realized I probably hadn't impressed them with that comment.

Then, vaguely familiar guy repeated, "Hilda? From Unova?" He furrowed his eyebrows, clearly wanting to say something else, but he just smiled again and nodded. "I'm Hilbert. I'm from Unova, as well."

Oh! He used to go to the subways years and years ago back before I became Champion. That was why he looked so familiar. He was a great trainer—no wonder he ended up here at the Pokémon Academy. It was a pity I didn't know him very well; it would be good to have a friend here before I found Cheren.

But if he was from Unova, he… he _had_ to know who I was. There were few people that didn't. That was probably what he wanted to say—I had to admit myself grateful that he didn't.

"I'm Roy," one of the other boys said, clearing his throat rather obnoxiously. "I'm from Hoenn, and before I came here, I did research with several of the gym leaders. I compared and contrasted the personalities of wild Pokémon and trained Pokémon and studied the various life expectancies of each. I documented these and then wrote a manual dictating the difference between each for every known species."

Geez. Way to follow me up with that, _Roy_.

"My name is Frederick." The man resembled a green bean on fire; he was incredibly lanky, but his hair was the brightest red I had ever seen in my life. And his entirely green outfit wasn't helping my impression much. "I'm from Kanto, and I was originally a bug-catcher when I first began training Pokémon. However, I moved on from battling, and I took up research in the Viridian Forest just north of here. I developed strategies of extracting the venom from Weedle and using it for medicinal purposes."

My goodness, were these people robots? Did they do anything other than perform research and write books and make phenomenal advances for people and Pokémon? What kind of school was this? And how the heck did I get in? It sure didn't feel like I was _accepted_. I felt like the reject girl who couldn't do anything.

But I didn't want people to like me just because I was Champion of Unova. They didn't need to know.

"We better get going to class," the girl muttered, rising to her feet and shooting me one last disinterested look before walking away. Everyone else jumped to their feet (while I was busy getting my schedule out) and followed her—all except for Hilbert. He stood and held out a hand towards me; I grasped it, and he pulled me up.

I grinned at him. "Thanks." I looked at my schedule now, and when I glanced back up to ask Hilbert a question, he was halfway across the lawn. "Oh, wait!" I sprinted after him, my bags falling off my shoulder. He paused, turning back to stare at me with amused eyes. "Do you know where Cher—I mean, where Pokémon Ethics 101 is?"

He gave me a strange look, pointing across the lawn to one of the buildings closest to the dormitories. "It's in Ivy Hall, first floor." I nodded, swinging one of my bags back over my shoulder. "But, you know, I don't think it's a great idea to bring all of those bags with you. Don't you want to drop them off in your room first?"

I pondered this quickly before nodding in agreement. Well, sure, I did have some time to stop in my dorm before heading off to class. I was just so excited to see Cheren—because surely I had class with him. The Pokémon Professor program was a small one, and the group would be smaller than other programs. Chances were I had to have at least one class with him.

So, I thanked Hilbert one more time and ran to my dorm (well, okay, I dragged my feet there because I was carrying so many bags). He wasn't anywhere to be seen there, but it turned out that this was because my dorm was an all-girls dorm. I didn't know what kind of crazy place Kanto was, but it sure seemed strict and strange. And serious.

But I was serious, too! No problem!

I headed down to Ivy Hall to find my class, but as I reached in my book bag to grab my schedule, I realized that it had disappeared. I couldn't recall where I could have put it; the last time I had it, I was asking Hilbert where my class was. Maybe I had dropped it by mistake, or maybe I accidently left it with Hilbert.

But, hey, like I said, I was serious. This would be no problem!

Ivy Hall, however, turned out to be huge. Hilbert's hint of telling me that the classroom was on the first floor didn't help very much without a schedule. In fact, I was fairly certain that I wasn't even on the first floor. I didn't know where the heck I was. The room numbers didn't really mean anything to me if I didn't have something else to go by.

Then I saw the crowd. I figured, since they were all gathered outside one of the doors—and I recognized the girl and two of the guys from my circle—that this had to be the classroom. I stepped closer to it, crossing my fingers that I was headed to the right place, and then I saw him.

Cheren.

And I knew that despite my unimpressive résumé and poor organizational skills and very differing personality, this was going to work out. Because he was worth it.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> "The Pokémon Academy was about to be hit by a storm named Hilda." There was a storm in 1955 named Hurricane Hilda. That's all I thought about when I wrote that last sentence of the first scene. It was a category three and actually caused quite a bit of damage. There was also a Hurricane Hilda in 1964 which was a category four. So, most of the storms named Hilda were extremely powerful and damaging. There's your fun fact for the day.

Ah, Hilda. She IS quite the storm, isn't she?

AND HILBERT! Finally, right? What role is he about to play in Hilda's life? What will Cheren say when he see's Hilda? Find out in chapter four. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the movie/musical on which this is based.


	4. Sharpedo Attack

**Chapter Four – Sharpedo Attack**

I picked up my chin, sticking my nose up in the air like the rest of the super-smart serious snobs I encountered today had. Then, I took a deep breath and started walking, and I continued right past Cheren—albeit forcefully considering the group of people was so thick—until I had barely passed him. I could picture his double-take.

"Hilda?" he asked, and I turned around with fake surprise. His jaw dropped, his eyebrows raised so high that the creases in his forehead looked like they had been drawn on with permanent marker. He resembled a shocked clown, or perhaps an old person, but the awe in his eyes blew me away. Now he had to believe that I was serious enough for him.

"Oh, my gosh! Cheren!" I exclaimed, holding my arms out and taking a step towards Cheren. He stayed plastered as he was; his face would be forever carved in my memory. This would be the first day of the rest of our lives together. Officially, anyway. "Wow, what are the chances of me running into you here? I totally forgot that you go here."

He finally blinked, shaking his head several times before asking, "What are you talking about? Why are you here?"

I furrowed my eyebrows; if this whole Pokémon Professor thing didn't work out, acting could totally be an option. My feigned obliviousness was completely winning him over, I could tell. Because the more I faked it, the more serious I was about being here. After all, I came here to learn—wink, wink, nod, nod.

"I go here, too!" I put my hands on my hips and smiled.

Cheren raised his eyebrows even higher, as if even possible, and the creases flattened out so now his face was stretched. He seemed skeptical of this whole situation, angry even, and I supposed I couldn't blame him for that. It wasn't like school was that big a deal for me before now. "You got into the Pokémon Academy? You got into the Pokémon Professor program of the Pokémon Academy?"

"What, like it's hard?" I said anyway, laughing and rolling my eyes. Every color of emotion passed through his face then, and as I went to apologize for not telling him sooner, someone tapped on my shoulder.

"Hilda." I turned to face Hilbert, and he held out a piece of paper towards me. "This must be yours."

I grabbed the piece of paper from him, looking quickly at Cheren and smiling before turning my gaze back to the slip Hilbert handed me. I sighed in relief. "This is my schedule! Wow, thank you so much, Hilbert. You didn't have to come all the way back here to give this to me. That was really sweet of you."

He shrugged uncomfortably and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, actually, I didn't follow—"

"She _actually_ goes here?" Cheren interrupted, and Hilbert laughed with increasing nervousness. The longer he stood here, the stranger the situation seemed to be getting for him. Of course, it was rather rude of Cheren to interrupt the poor man. When we were married, we would have to work on improving his people skills.

Then, with a loud _creak_, the doors to the classroom swung open. The dark wood walls and desks gave the room the appearance of a dungeon, but I would have to learn to love these hallowed halls. Cheren and I would be living in these classrooms for the next few years, after all, so getting used to the dankness of the buildings would have to be part of my becoming "serious".

"Cheren," I said as sweetly as possible, touching his arm so gently that it would have to leave him wanting more. "Let's meet up after class, okay?"

We all gathered into the room, some people standing and talking with their arms crossed in an unwelcoming way. Cheren took a seat as far away from me as possible, joining the girl from the circle earlier. I raised my eyebrows, but I didn't think too much on it—up until she shot me a disgusted look, anyway. Then that was all I could think about.

"Okay, if everyone could please settle down. Professor Oak will be here any minute," Hilbert called, and I turned my attention back to him. I hadn't realized he was anyone important, but maybe that was what he had tried to tell me—he didn't follow me to return my schedule; he needed to come this way for this class, anyway. Well, either way, it was still nice of him to return it at all. Something told me the girl next to Cheren wouldn't have.

The boy and girl immediately to my right became whispering, though their hisses were loud enough for the people around them to easily hear. "I can't believe we get to take a class with _the_ Professor Oak! He's a legend. He has an internship in the spring semester for his best students, and they say that the interns who get it always get the best jobs when they graduate."

I leaned towards the two, furrowing my eyebrows in an attempt to look inquisitive. "Who's Professor Oak?" I asked.

"You're joking." The boy narrowed his eyes at me, and when my expression didn't change, he laughed. "Wow, you're not. Geez. Professor Oak is only the most celebrated Pokémon Professor of all time. He invented the Pokédex? He's the symbol of the program? Anything ring a bell? You'd think someone in the program would know that…"

I swallowed. This reached me in a way that nothing else had so far. I didn't even know who Professor Oak was… and I called myself a Dex Holder. Maybe I really didn't belong here. Maybe I didn't deserve to get in at all. If I was in the Pokémon Professor program and didn't know anything about the symbol of the program… I clearly didn't know anything. These people were all so out of my league.

Hilbert cleared his throat, his eyes fixated on mine as I looked over at him. "I sat in your seats just a few years ago—my first day at a new school with new people. It was a little scary. There were so many rumors going around, and I was convinced I didn't know anything about anything. I heard and asked _all_ the same questions you did."

When he put the enunciation on _all_ and smiled at me, I felt a little better. I nodded, lowering my gaze now. That was sweet of him. He didn't know me—well, maybe he did from newspaper clippings and TV interviews, but he didn't know _me_—but he still stuck up for me. And no one had done that for me in years. I always had to fend for myself ever since I left on my adventure all those years ago.

It was kind of nice.

"If you don't know, _ask_. That's the best advice I can give you all. It seems basic and, perhaps, elementary, but I can assure you that you will be more successful if you follow my advice. There are plenty of people here who will be more than happy to assist you, myself included." Hilbert shuffled his feet, forcing me to look back up at him, and shoved his hands in his pockets. Then, nodding, he took a step back and sat at one of the desks in the front of the room.

The door swung open again, and an older gentleman with spiked gray hair walked into the room. He didn't say anything; instead, he sauntered right over to his desk, slammed some books down, and turned to the blackboard with a piece of white chalk in his hand. On the board, like chicken-scratch, he wrote, "Pokémon Ethics 101."

"If you don't think you are meant to be here, leave now," he finally said, his voice squeaky but scratchy, like someone who smoked and breathed helium regularly. I wouldn't put it past this man to do either.

I thought, briefly, that I ought to get up and walk out. But then I glanced back at Cheren and the girl and decided I was better off sticking around. Maybe I could prove myself not only to Cheren—but to everyone. They seemed to have judged me far too quickly. I was accepted for a reason, and although that reason was unclear to me, too, it meant that I was meant to be here. Didn't it?

I shuffled in my seat, but I didn't get up. No one else even breathed.

"Good. Now, I take it that all of you have examined my syllabus and aimed all questions at my assistant, Hilbert?" he glanced around the room. Everyone took a packet out of their bags, and I swallowed. Did I miss something? "Fine. Now, in my younger days, I worked solely as a Pokémon Professor and researcher. However, now that I've retired, I've taken up teaching here and educating you fine folks. I want you all to be me."

Everyone smiled now, as if one big happy family of robots all designed to do the same thing. My mouth twitched but not upward. I didn't know what he was talking about. Was being him a good thing? Well, I assumed it had to be considering all the praise from the boy and girl next to me. But he seemed sort of… _loopy_ to me—the kind of guy who wouldn't remember his own grandson's name. He was nothing like Professor Juniper.

"_But_," Professor Oak continued, raising one shaky finger, "only a select few of you—if any—will be me. I know what it takes to be a Pokémon Professor, and this is where it all begins. If you can't handle the rigorous academics that I have in store for you in a level-100 class, then you will never survive in the real world. I don't care how many of you are phenomenal trainers. Being a trainer won't help you here."

I swallowed, curling my hands into fists on my desk, and I noticed Hilbert's gaze travel to them. I didn't think his look was meant to be accusing—in fact, I was pretty sure he was checking to make sure I was okay—but I couldn't help but think it. The only thing I was good at was being a trainer. In the end, that was what it came down to—I was a trainer.

"I have four slots open for my spring internship. You will be working _with_ Pokémon in a controlled environment and working on a research project which I have been designing for several years." Professor Oak raised his finger even higher into the air, and the whispers that had begun to hiss silenced. "However, the spots are highly selective. I will choose the best and only the best from this class to work with me. So, I suggest you do not _try_ your best in this class—I suggest you _do_ it."

He lowered his hand and stared out at the class. I was glad to see that everyone else looked as scared as I felt right now; even the super-smart serious snobs feared this class. But that only meant that I would have to try even harder to be the best—no, not try. I would have to do better than them. And the chances of that happening…

No. I got in here, too! I could be the best like no one ever was.

"That said, I expect all of you to work hard and perform at exemplary levels. We only allow the best at the Academy, and to receive this internship would be the greatest honor," Professor Oak concluded, walking behind his desk and picking up one of the books. "Now, we'll dive right in. In chapter six of _Ethics: To Raise or Not to Raise?_, what did the author say battles were meant to do for the relationship between humans and Pokémon?"

A hand of every person went up into the air… except mine.

Professor Oak turned his eyes on me, and I inhaled sharply and smiled. "You. Tell me, what did the author write?"

I opened my mouth, gaping at him for a few seconds before sighing. "I'm sorry. I wasn't aware that we had any reading due."

Professor Oak stared blankly at me for a few seconds before nodding. "Oh, I see," he finally settled on saying, as though he was having a silent fight within himself as to how he should approach this situation—how he should approach me. He turned on his heel, looking at the girl sitting beside Cheren. "Roxanne. Let's say you teach a class at the Pokémon Academy, but the girl on whom you call hasn't done the reading. Should you let it slide or should you—"

"Kick her out of class," the girl—Roxanne—said. "I was a Gym leader and a teacher back in Hoenn, so I know how frustrating it is to have students who fail to do the assigned work. It's better that they learn their lessons."

My jaw dropped. We didn't have Gym leaders like her back in Unova, either. If this was what the rest of the world was like, then I was sorry I ever left my little pond. Our Gym leaders were all caring and sympathetic. This girl… she was just as bad as, if not worse than, all the other super-smart serious snobs here.

"All right. You heard her," Professor Oak said, pointing at me. "You can return when you're prepared for class."

I narrowed my eyes, picking up my bag and swinging it over my shoulder. I shot one last glare at the girl from my circle group before passing through those dark wooden doors an hour and a half too early.

I shouldn't have worried about getting up and leaving earlier. Professor Oak already decided for me.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I had to throw that line in there: "But he seemed sort of… loopy to me—the kind of guy who wouldn't remember his own grandson's name." Oh, Professor Oak. He's so absent-minded. Or crazy. Both work.

And this line: "I could be the best like no one ever was."

Don't hate me. It was just way too tempting to throw those two lines in there. Seriously. I had to do it. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or the musical/movie on which this is based.


	5. Positive

**Chapter Five – Positive**

I sulked on a bench outside of Ivy Hall until my Ethics class let out. The only thing I had to look forward to now was meeting with Cheren when he got out of class. At least he would side with me, tell me that the awful Roxanne girl was wrong. Because who did she think she was? It wasn't my fault I didn't know we had reading. Who assigned homework before term even began? How tacky was that?

But what could I say? If I wanted to get that internship—because who didn't want to get that internship—then I would need to step up my game. There would be no more room for slacking. Professor Oak wouldn't even recognize me the next time I stepped into that classroom. I would be prepared and ready to go, and when he asked me a question, I would know the ending. All I had to do now was buy the textbook.

But first I needed to talk to Cheren.

"Hey, Hilda."

I glanced up excitedly, looking to the speaker. I tried not to look too disappointed when I saw it was only Hilbert, but he didn't seem upset at this sad attempt. He sat down on the bench next to me and smiled, and I forced myself to look away. I didn't care how nice a guy he was—he let Professor Oak kick me out of class. But then again, so did Cheren. No one stopped Oak or Roxanne from messing with me.

"Hi, Hilbert," I settled on saying as dryly as possible. I could tell he wanted to laugh at me, not for what happened in the classroom but for my attitude now. He stifled it and crossed his arms instead. There was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes left behind; I ignored it.

I almost wished that I had known him back in Unova; I should have spent more time in the Battle Subway, but it was never my place. Hilbert, on the other hand, was wildly talented. He was well-known throughout Unova for his skills with battling. I hadn't realized that he left battling behind to come here, but now I wondered what he had done that separated him from the crowd, too. He had to be pretty amazing if he was Oak's assistant.

"Listen, Hilda, don't let Oak get to you, okay?" Hilbert said, his tone soft and concerned. "He kicked me out of his first class, too."

I glanced over at him, and he smiled. "Really?" I asked, as if the fact that I wasn't the only loser on the first day of classes made me feel better. In actuality, it did. I supposed this was cruel on my part. I shouldn't have cared much that Hilbert had been kicked out of class. Perhaps I should have felt sorry for him. But instead I felt an elation I hadn't felt since I had arrived here. Not even when I saw Cheren again.

And that was strange and a little bit cruel.

"Yep." Hilbert leaned back against the bench, moving his hands to the back of his head and crossing his legs. "It was terrible. I had been up the night before working, and I fell asleep. Oak told me to get out. But I promise you, Hilda… your career isn't over. One little bump in the road isn't going to make this or break this for you. Like Oak said, you just need to do your best. You'll be fine, I promise."

My heart swelled at the thought, and I finally smiled back at him. "You think so?"

"Of course. Besides, I know that you deserve to be here. Just look at what you did for Unova." He sat up straight again, leaning closer to me and lowering his voice. I retracted my smile, deciding that maybe I gave it too soon. But Hilbert always seemed to be full of surprises. "Why didn't you tell anyone? You saved us all from that Ghetsis creep. That's more impressive than doing research in Sinnoh."

I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks, but I just shook my head. "No. No, it's not. I did what I had to do—I didn't go above and beyond, I didn't make any major contributions to Pokémon and humanity." I patted Hilbert's knee, and he stiffened. "I want to be liked for me, not for what I've done. Please don't tell anyone."

Hilbert's eyes widened, and he held up his hands. "I wouldn't, Hilda, I—"

"Hilda, hey!"

I jumped to my feet, staring at Cheren's figure as he approached from Ivy Hall. My heart skipped a beat, and I smiled. Yes, this would all be worth it. When I got that internship with Professor Oak, Cheren would be so impressed; he would propose right on the spot. Hilbert was right. This wasn't the end of my career.

"Thank you so much, Hilbert," I said, and Hilbert rose to his feet beside me. "I'll see you around."

He nodded, opening his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he stopped and walked away without saying it. I watched as his figure got smaller and smaller, and as I looked back over at Cheren's, his got larger and larger. But I found myself still watching Hilbert when Cheren finally stopped next to me.

I cleared my throat, smiling at Cheren. "Oh, hey, Cheren."

"Hi." He shuffled his feet uncomfortably, refusing to look me in the eye. Then, after a moment, he said, "Uh… I still can't believe that you're actually _here_. Studying. Taking classes. Well, I mean, I guess you didn't really get to take the first class, did you? You can borrow my notes if you want, but you'll need to do the reading on your own." He reached into his bag to grab his binder, pulling out the class notes and passing them to me.

"Oh, my gosh, thank you!" I exclaimed, stuffing them into my own bag. "I still can't wrap my head around what just happened. Who does that girl think she is, anyway? Girls need to stick together, and she just… threw me under the bus. I mean, what were the chances of Oak picking on me, anyway? She didn't have to say that."

Cheren looked uncomfortable, though in a way entirely converse to Hilbert. There was something hidden behind his eyes, something he wanted to say and wasn't sure how to. But if my guess was correct, and why wouldn't it be, Cheren just didn't know how to apologize for the huge mistake he made by breaking up with me. He never was one to admit that he was wrong, and I could see how this would be difficult for him.

"Listen, Cheren—" I began, putting my hand on his arm.

Someone cleared her throat behind me, and I retracted my arm and turned around. Roxanne smirked at me, her arms crossed in a way that clearly indicated that she didn't want me around. She was, in other words, hostile. And what kind of person acted hostile towards other people? Was she some sort of Houndoom?

"Cheren," she said, sounding rather like a trainer calling her Pokémon back. I raised my eyebrows, glancing between the two. "What's going on here?"

I held a hand up, speaking before Cheren had a chance to respond. This girl was going to get it. No way could she just saunter up to us after class and expect a friendly reaction from me. "We were just talking about how you completely singled me out back there. Why would you do something like that? I needed back up."

"You were unprepared for class, and you received the punishment as deserved. In my travels, I've found that people who were unprepared seldom survived more than a few days, whether figuratively or literally." Her smirk became even more twisted, and she crossed her arms. "It might help if you tried opening a book. You do know what that is, don't you?"

My jaw dropped, and I narrowed my eyes at her. "Excuse me?"

"I'm sure you can find a party back in Unova and throw your life away there." She looked back at Cheren, her smile becoming genuine for perhaps the first time ever. She slipped her arm around his and latched on like a Tentacool. "Come on, honey, we should head to the library if we want to finish the diagrams before next class."

I shot a hand out, gripping Cheren's arm and pulling him back towards me. Roxanne nearly growled, her own grip on his arm growing ever tighter. I couldn't believe what I just heard—she could insult me all she wanted… but she couldn't call my man pet names! If she was coming onto him, then she would have to wait in line.

"Um, Hilda." Cheren slid one of his hands over mine, but instead of keeping it there, he peeled my fingers off. "This is my girlfriend, Roxanne."

I swallowed. I didn't know which felt worse—the feeling of knowing that you could be tossed away like last week's news or that you were second-best to a snobby girl from Hoenn who traveled and did research in Sinnoh. It was one thing to expect a marriage proposal and be broken up with. But it was a whole other thing to want to win your man back and end up behind some girl who didn't know the difference between people and books.

"Girlfriend?" I repeated, and he nodded.

"Yeah. You know when I went to that conference in Hoenn a few years back? Well, I met her there—and we met again at the beginning of the summer at the admissions tour here, so we started dating," Cheren explained, as though I needed an explanation. And, oh, I didn't need one at all. It only made me feel worse. Like he actually reasoned through this whole mess.

So, what did that mean? Had I come here for no reason? Had it all been in vain? I was a failure as a student—I had been kicked out on the first day, so Professor Oak would naturally have a grudge against me for the rest of the year—and I was a failure as a girlfriend. Cheren would never want someone like me.

But there had to be something Roxanne had that I didn't. Brains, maybe. But what I lacked in brains I made up in other areas… like… battling. No, Roxanne was good at that, too; she had apparently been a Gym leader back in Hoenn before she traveled. I was fun! No, Cheren said he wanted someone serious now.

That was it. Roxanne _looked_ serious, too. Her hair, her clothes, everything. In my younger days, I was a tomboy. I knew what it was like to look frumpy. And maybe I would have to revert to that time in my life. If taking Cheren back from that witch meant losing a part of myself, it didn't seem so bad. After all, it had once been part of me, too.

I just needed to show Cheren that I was everything Roxanne was and more. When I got to class tomorrow, I would have that book, and I would have that reading done. I would have a new haircut and a new serious personality to match. It wasn't enough to just get into the Pokémon Academy to prove that I was serious—I actually had to _be_ serious. That was all I needed to do. Roxanne would be blown away by my storm.

"Oh," I said, recovering enough to force a smile for the couple. Roxanne's smirk returned, and I narrowed my eyes at her as Cheren lowered his gaze guiltily. "That's wonderful. Congratulations. Isn't it just wonderful that you are both in the same program, then? You will get to know each other so well."

"Yes…" Roxanne said, patting Cheren's arm. "Honey, we should go."

Cheren nodded, his eyes snapping back up to mine. "Right. Bye, Hilda."

I nodded, watching as the two became tinier and tinier in the distant. I stood frozen to the spot until they vanished into the library, and even then I could barely force my feet to move. But after a minute, I broke into a run, throwing my bag across my shoulders and wiping tears from my eyes. If I ran, no one could tell.

So, I ran and I ran, heading to the only place that would be able to mend my broken heart.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Roxanne is such a jerk, but I totally enjoy writing characters like her. It's so completely different than my own personality, so it's like bringing out my dark side or something, haha. And I was telling one of you that I always thought that Roxanne wasn't very personable in the games. I never felt any connection to her. That's why I thought she was a good choice for this role.

Anyway, I'm excited for the next chapter! There's a new character, and she should be fun to write. A lot of you will probably be happy to see her, but I'm not entirely certain. I don't know how people feel about her in the games, LOL.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the musical/movie on which this is based.


	6. Johto

**Chapter Six – Johto**

It took me forever to find the closest spa; there were more Pokémon grooming salons than people grooming salons, but it made sense considering the people who lived in Viridian. If people like Roxanne were running the city, they probably rarely went to get their hair done. But if Elesa had taught me one thing, it was that hair made a person. If I got a serious hairstyle, then I would be a serious person.

Spas in Unova were more than just places to relax, get hair and nails done, and chat. People of all walks of life went to them to freshen up when times got too hard. The specialty in Unova was dream-eating. Muuna and Musharna would send customers to sleep, eat their dreams, and project the dreams through their dream mist. The technique was entirely relaxing. After waking up, the customer would not remember his or her dream; instead, they only recall the relaxation from the procedure.

My best girlfriend, Bianca, actually came up with that procedure. She assured everyone that the entire process was non-invasive, meaning that no one would witness the dream but the Pokémon, and people took to it quickly. Muuna and Musharna enjoyed it, too, so it was a win-win for everyone involved. Spas all over Unova integrated it into their programs, and it quickly became one of the most popular requests.

I hadn't seen Bianca in ages, though. With her research on the connections between dream-development and Pokémon, she was far more talented than I ever was. She traveled abroad for conferences in other regions, and I hadn't heard from her in quite awhile. If Cheren had, he hadn't told me. I knew she was doing well, though. She ended up being the most successful out of all three of us.

I secretly believed that Cheren was vexed by this. Bianca was, if possible, less serious than I was, and he didn't think she deserved to be more successful than he was. But it would be different with me. If I proved to be serious and became successful, then I deserved it, right? And I deserved him. Yes, I just had to stay positive.

And what I really needed now was exactly what a spa could provide. I didn't know how they worked in Kanto, but if I could get a haircut and prove to Cheren that I was serious, it didn't matter how different this region was. It didn't matter how snobby the people were and how homesick I was beginning to feel. Rejection wasn't something I was used to, however horrible that sounded, but I already hated this place.

So, when I finally found the spa—down a forgotten street at the edge of the city—I burst through the doors and slammed my hands on the check-in counter. The girl at the counter raised her perfectly-plucked eyebrows at me, clearly never having received a customer like me before. I raised one hand from the desk, pointed it at the girl, and sighed.

"I want to have all my hair chopped off. Give me a crop," I said. The girl's eyes widened in horror, and she jumped up from her seat.

"Oh my," she muttered, turning around and running out from behind the desk. She fled the room, and I stood shocked for a minute before she returned with another woman. And when I saw who that woman was, I screamed, running towards her and wrapping my arms around her neck. She screamed right along with me.

"Bianca!" I squealed.

"Hilda!" she squealed back.

I hugged her once more before pulling away from her. "What are you doing here?" I wanted to hug her again, but I thought that might be overkill. "Wow, how have you been? I can't believe this—what are the odds of me running into you here? _Here_? Of all the places you could be right now! Wow, Bianca!"

"I know! What are _you_ doing here?" she asked. She looked just like I remembered. Her blonde hair was in the same short bob it had been since our teen years, but her face had matured beautifully. Seeing such a familiar face made me feel like I was home again, like I was still wanted, and I could barely keep the tears back.

"I asked you first," I pointed out.

She smiled, punching me lightly on the arm. "That you did. Well, after I left Unova, I went to Hoenn and set up some dream spas. They really took off, so I came here next. I went to some conferences, met some people, and the dream spas got integrated here, too." Her smile spread practically from one ear to the other; she looked so happy. "I've been at this one for almost two years now. But what about you—what are you up to? Still battling?"

I shook my head, and although I expected Bianca to be surprised by this admission, she just nodded. "I go to school here—at the Pokémon Academy."

Bianca's jaw finally dropped, and she put her hands on her hips. "That's a good school," she said, as though she doubted that I could get in. I didn't blame her for that. Bianca knew me even better than Elesa and Skyla, and if they had thought I would fail, then Bianca had to be shocked by this. It was funny what a little studying could do to a person.

And love. The power of love really brought me here.

"Yeah." I took a strand of my dark hair and wrapped it around my finger, doing so for perhaps the last time. "Yeah, it is. There are people there who have done absolutely amazing things, and I don't even compare to them. Which is why…" I paused, dropping my hand from my hair and squeezing my fingers into my palm. "Which is why I want you to cut my hair to a crop."

Bianca's eyes widened even more, and she grabbed my wrist. She didn't say a word; instead, she pulled me to the back of the spa to the salon, pushed me into one of the chairs, and spun me around to face the mirror. She pulled some of my hair in front of my shoulders, touching it gently and curling it around my face.

"Look at you. _Why_ would you want to cut your hair that short? You can't change this." She gestured to my head in the mirror, and I raised my eyebrows. "You have the perfect face for a long haircut, not a short one, and you've kept your hair long for as long as I've known you. I understand sometimes people want change, but I can assure you that this is not the change you want. You're making a rash decision, I can tell. I always know, Hilda. Now spill."

She pulled one of the chairs from another station towards me, sitting beside me. I spun away from the mirror to face her and sighed. How did I tell her how this whole situation got started? She knew Cheren, too, and she knew the kind of guy he was. But she would understand my predicament. She would understand why I needed to be serious.

So, I nodded and began my tale. "I did it all for love. Cheren and I were dating when you left, right, Bianca? Well, you know him… he dreams big. He always dreamed of going to the Pokémon Academy. So, one night a few months ago, he took me out to dinner. I thought he was going to propose, but he ended up breaking up with me." Bianca gasped, her timing perfect. "So, I followed him here to win him back. But now… now… now he's… he's dating a snobby Gym leader from Hoenn."

"Oh, Hilda." Bianca rubbed my arms, frowning sympathetically. "What does she have that you don't? You're Cheren's best friend."

I rolled my eyes. "She's _serious_." Bianca made an _oh_ with her mouth, leaning back in her seat and rubbing her forehead. "That's what Cheren wants, Bianca! A girl who's serious! And this Roxanne girl… well, she _looks_ the part. She's frumpy and has a haircut worthy of a serious guy. That's why I need to change, too!"

"Whoa, Hilda, slow down. You can't go changing yourself just for a boy, even if that boy is Cheren," Bianca said, rising from her seat and jabbing a finger at me. "Listen, I know what it feels like to have your heart ripped out and stomped on. I've been there—quite recently, in fact. But you can't just make rash decisions like this. Take it from your best friend."

"Bianca…"

Bianca moved her hands to her hips, sending me a sharp look. "Hilda. When I first moved over here, I fell in love with this guy from Johto. I've always wanted to go to Johto—it's the one place I wanted to go but wasn't interested in my dream spas. And this guy just whisked me off my feet. But he turned out to be a jerk; he wasn't at all the kind of guy I wanted—the kind of guy I pictured myself with. _He_ dumped _me_. For another girl. And he kept my Stoutland. He was a jerk."

"Bianca, that's awful," I said, grabbing her hands and squeezing them in mine. She smiled, kneeling down in front of me.

"That would never happen to you, though. Because you have hope for winning Cheren back. You got into the Pokémon Academy—you're a smart girl, and if I know Cheren as well as I think I do, he'll respect that." She stood up, pulling me to my feet and hugging me again. "Hilda, if you can't win him back the way you are, there's no hope for the rest of us. You just have to go out there, be yourself, and win him back."

Be myself? But wasn't "being myself" what got me kicked out of our relationship in the first place? Still, Bianca had a point. I _was_ smart enough to get into the Pokémon Academy. I didn't change anything about myself for that; all I did was pick up a book and apply myself—the ability to be intelligent was always there.

Bianca was right. I just needed to get back to school, read the assignments, and apply myself just like I had after Cheren broke up with me. All I needed to impress Cheren was there with me, but I needed to be the one to bring it out. Changing my hairstyle and going for the same frumpy look Roxanne did wouldn't fix this. Cheren would still see me. I just needed to show him my brain—my seriousness.

"Yes… yes, I'll get him back!" I shouted, determination flowing through my veins once more. I felt a rush of adrenaline just as I had when I decided to apply for the Pokémon Academy. It was amazing what love could do to a girl.

"Great. I'm so happy I just stopped you from making a terrible hair decision." Bianca laughed, grabbing my hand and leading me back the way we came. "You would look terrible with a crop. It's a good thing you ran into me because any other employee would have chopped it all off for the pay. I can give you a free dream session, too."

"I better get back to school," I said with a smiled. "But thank you so much, Bianca. I am _so_ glad that I ran into you. I'll be back to visit soon."

When we made it back out to the lobby, I froze in my tracks; Roxanne was sitting in the waiting area with one of her snobby friends (if they could even be called that considering how unfriendly they were to each other).

"—party on the twenty-eighth, right?" Roxanne's friend finished, and I narrowed my eyes.

"Did you just say something about a party?" I asked, managing to unfreeze my body and take a step closer to Roxanne. I didn't think people at the Academy knew what a party was—but they were all young. They had to enjoy laughing and singing and dancing and drinking just as much as everyone else, even if they were all snobs.

Plus, chances were, if Roxanne was there, Cheren would be there. And what better way for me to win Cheren back than to do so at Roxanne's own party?

Roxanne glanced at her friend, unsure for a moment, but then she nodded. "Yeah. There's a party on the twenty-eighth at the flat on Weedle Street." She smiled, and this was a sight that I wasn't sure I could ever become familiar with. "It's a costume party, though. I'm not sure if you're into that."

I grinned. "I love costume parties."

"Great!" Roxanne's smile deepened; maybe she wasn't entirely bad. It was nice of her to invite me to her party after all; but I didn't want to feel guilty about taking Cheren back. We deserved each other. "I guess I'll see you there, then."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I'll see you there."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> So, it seems I had a ton of errors in the beginning of the last chapter. I would like to apologize for that and thank the reviewer who pointed them out to me. I'm not one to make excuses, but I'm going to—I wrote the beginning of the previous chapter on a mobile device, and I never went back and made sure that everything was all right. I can certainly promise that this won't happen again. I know as well as you all do that I strive for excellence in all of my writings, and the amount of errors in the last chapter was unacceptable. So, I apologize for that.

On a different note, Bianca probably shouldn't have encouraged Hilda. At least she told her not to change herself for Cheren, haha.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the musical/movie on which this is based.


	7. Re: Serious

**Chapter Seven – Re: Serious**

Much to my chagrin, I hadn't had much success in class lately. As days turned into weeks, my anticipation for the party kept me distracted enough to get me kicked out of Professor Oak's class nearly every day. While the other professors didn't kick me out of class, they were not understanding of my situation, either. They constantly picked on me to see if I knew the answer, and when I didn't, they always rolled their eyes and move on.

Needless to say, Cheren wasn't too impressed by my performance, not unlike my professors. Still, he was nice enough to keep giving me his class notes to copy down every time I was kicked out of class. The words made no sense to me, but I scribbled mine down on spare pieces of paper before returning his notes. At least he was trying to help me. That had to mean something, didn't it? He wanted to see me succeed.

When the day of the party finally arrived, I was thankful. Classes had been keeping my stress levels high, and I had actually stopped by Bianca's spa once to have the dream procedure done. Stress wasn't good for the body, and the results of this had been almost immediate. My face broke out, and food seemed my only friend (which, for all intents and purposes, it pretty much was). The dream procedure actually helped manage this.

Still, there were only so many free dream procedures I could get from Bianca without feeling like I was stealing. The upcoming party was a good way to remind myself that I was about to have a night of pure enjoyment. I didn't need to worry about being kicked out of class and getting the notes; the only thing I needed to worry about was finding a costume to impress Cheren.

If it was a costume party, I had every right to go all out and be myself. I didn't need to dress as a saint or anything to impress him. Costume parties were meant for showing some skin and getting the boys' attention. If everything went well, and I suspected it would, I would outshine Roxanne, and Cheren wouldn't be able to take his eyes off of me. He'd remember what he forgot, ditch her, and be mine again.

I ordered a costume specifically for the party, and it arrived that morning. I had begun to worry that it wouldn't make it in time, but the timing couldn't be better. I felt a sort of elation after pulling the costume out of the box and feeling the fabric under my fingers. My excitement level rose just holding it, and I couldn't wait to put it on.

The sun finally set, a red hue lighting up the sky, and I slipped into my costume. It might leave me a little cold, but I would be heating up the party enough to get my blood stirring. I was right about this costume, too—Cheren wouldn't be able to keep his eyes off me. It didn't matter how serious he was; he was still a boy.

I started for the party, walking with my head held high. This was one of the few times since I had come to Kanto that I actually felt like I was included in something—one of the few times that I felt like I was home. It was nice of Roxanne to have invited me, I couldn't deny that. But even after she extended the invitation, she had been relatively cold to me in class. Still, I didn't expect that we would be immediate buddies. I was, after all, about to go steal her boyfriend. But maybe we could be friends later.

When I made it to the flat, the first thing I noticed was that it was quiet. I could hear soft music coming from inside, but the bass wasn't pumping like it did at all the other parties I had been to. I almost turned around, thinking that Roxanne intentionally told me the wrong place, but I stomped my heel and walked in anyway.

That was my first mistake: listening to Roxanne. Oh, there was a party all right. There were about fifty people squeezed into the flat, all standing with glasses of champagne and beer, but they weren't wearing costumes. No, they were pretty much wearing the opposite; all the guys were dressed in perfectly pressed suits, and all the girls had classy cocktail dresses. And then there was me: the girl in the slutty Lopunny costume.

All the talking subsided when I walked in, standing in the doorway like a Deerling caught in headlights. One boy whistled low, and several other boys began to laugh. The whispers began after that, and I felt stuck for a minute. If I turned around and left, that would mean I was scared—it would mean that Roxanne won. But I wasn't going to let that girl get what she wanted. No, she didn't win this round.

So, I walked forward, my heels clicking on the wooden floor. I found Cheren by the champagne, and I tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around mid-sip, and when he looked at me, some of the champagne dribbled back out of his mouth. He coughed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and set the glass down on the counter.

"Hilda. What are you—"

"I'm just livening things up," I interrupted, stepping closer to Cheren and running my hand up and down his arm. "Anyway, how have you been? I'm so glad that we're both here. We haven't had much time to talk, and I really miss being able to tell you everything. It's so strange being so far away from home."

"I know. I still can't get over the fact that you're here." He smiled at me, the first genuine smile I had received from him here, and I felt myself blush. "I never would have guessed it. It reminds me of the last few years in Unova. We were on top of the world there, weren't we?" He laughed, shaking his head. "But it can't be like that here."

This caught me off guard, but I quickly recovered. "We can be on top of the world here, too," I said, and he furrowed his eyebrows. He didn't understand. Just because he was serious didn't mean that he didn't need me. "You have everything planned out for the rest of your life, don't you? Well, what if I'm part of that future?"

He leaned back against the counter, pulling away from my hands. "I'm afraid you've lost me."

"I'm here because I understand what you want." I touched his chest now, stepping closer once again. He swallowed.

"But I don't understand what _you_ want."

I sighed, dropping my hands and taking a few steps back from him. I surveyed him for a minute; he looked so mature—so _serious_—in his suit and tie. Didn't he remember all the fun times we had back in Unova? Well, we could be like that here, too—but with a twist. We didn't need to leave what we had done behind. We could still be together and care about school.

So, I smiled the best smile I could muster and said, "I'm here because I'm serious."

He laughed, the sound echoing in my head for longer than it actually lasted. He gestured to me, his hand bouncing up and down to encompass all of my body, and he smirked. "Yeah, Hilda. You look really serious."

The smile vanished from my lips, and I put my hands on my hips. This wasn't going as I expected. He didn't see what I wanted him to see, and he didn't understand what I wanted him to understand. To him, I was still the girl from Unova who goofed around and had no ambitions. I was still the girlfriend that he didn't want.

"Cheren," I began, my voice wavering, "don't forget that I got into the Pokémon Academy, too. I got into the Pokémon Professor training program, too. We have all of our classes together, and maybe when we both get Professor Oak's internship, we'll be working together then, too. This doesn't have—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a second there," Cheren interrupted, and I stopped. "You get kicked out of Oak's class every day. And you actually think that you have a chance of getting his internship?" When I nodded, my eyes brimming with tears, he sighed. "Hilda, every single person in that class is working hard to get that internship. You can't actually think that someone like you—someone who comes to a business party dressed like a Lopunny—will get that internship. It's for the best in the class."

The tears overflowed from my eyes now, and I stared at Cheren in disbelief. What did he mean, _someone like you_? No, I knew what he meant by that. He meant that a girl like me, someone who was trying too hard to be serious and failing, would never be a success. He meant that I was nothing compared to Roxanne, and I would never be able to win him back. He meant that he didn't love me anymore because he thought I was a joke.

So, I nodded, turning on my heel and walking towards the door. Well, he was about to find out what happened when he challenged someone like me. When I battled, I won—that was just the type of person I was. And this challenge would be no different than the rest. He lost to me all the time; he was used to it by now.

"Hilda!"

I stopped, putting my hands on my hips again and turning to look at Roxanne. She snorted, biting her lip to keep herself from bursting out laughing. Well, I was glad that someone was enjoying herself at the party—I really did shake things up after all, at the price of my pride, of course. What a bitch.

"You look… promiscuous, as always." She smiled, passing her glass of champagne off to the girl she had come into the spa with.

"Oh, of course," I responded bitterly, wiping the tears from my eyes and stifling the urge to grab one of my Pokémon to battle it out right here. "Thank you for the tip on the costume party, Roxanne. I really appreciate it. I see you came as a stuck-up bitch. Not entirely original, but it suits you."

Several of the people who were eavesdropping whistled and called out again, and I smiled, turning on my heel to keep walking. Roxanne hurried towards me, grabbing my shoulder and spinning me back around. She stared at me for a minute, clearly resisting the urge to punch me in the face, and I had to stop myself from spitting at her.

"I heard what you were saying to Cheren," she said, and I pursed my lips. "You shouldn't even dream about getting that internship. You're not even going to make it halfway through the semester. Face it, Hilda. You're not cut out for the real world. Why don't you just _hop_ back to Unova and disgrace yourself there."

I nodded, swallowing to keep myself from saying anything I would regret later. Nothing I said would make her stop, anyway. She would always find some way to kick me when I was already down. I couldn't even imagine how people in Hoenn could have stood battling her at the Gym. And it was even more baffling how people could stand to work with her while she did her research in Sinnoh. I would've quit.

I walked away without another word. Maybe she did win this round. Maybe I did feel like a fool, utterly humiliated in front of all of my classmates—all of whom already thought I was a joke—and maybe I didn't think this would get much better. I could always go home and be the best there. That was what I was used to.

I wandered back to the campus and sunk down on one of the benches in front of Ivy Hall. If I went back to my room, I feared packing up and running away, and I didn't want that. So, I shivered outside, crying my eyes out until I couldn't cry anymore.

Winning a challenge meant having the guts to do so… and I didn't think I had them anymore.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Oh, Hilda. What are we going to do with you? (And you know, sitting outside during the night while dressed in a Lopunny costume probably isn't the best idea. I mean… I'm just saying.)

Hopefully things will start looking up for her soon. As many of you guessed, Roxanne's invitation wasn't all that friendly. Things have been heading in a downward slope for Hilda lately, but who knows what's in store for her next? :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the musical/movie on which this is based.


	8. Chip On Her Shoulder

**Chapter Eight – Chip On Her Shoulder**

I sat on the bench for a few minutes, shivering in the cold but still too afraid to go up to my room. I very well couldn't go into anymore public buildings dressed like this, so I felt trapped outside in my own little prison. It was while I was sitting there that I remembered I didn't have any of my Pokémon with me to keep me warm—I never could have challenged Roxanne to a battle even if I wanted to. This thought irked me.

Several people walked past me as they exited Ivy Hall, but most people averted their gaze and whispered after they thought they were out of earshot. I didn't listen to what they were saying, anyway. I knew it was all the same—_look at that girl; surely she doesn't go here because she would be an embarrassment to the school_.

"Whoa, Hilda, is that you?"

I sighed, turning and expecting the worst. But Hilbert was already taking his sweatshirt off and throwing it on top of me like a blanket. I pulled it tightly around me, staring at Hilbert in awe; how was it that he was always there for me when I needed someone? And why was it that I was glad it was him and no one else?

"Love," I said to him, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I came here on a whim because of love—to my own personal prison. I hate it here, and I want to go home. But I can't, and I won't… so I'm sitting out here because I can't leave even though I want to. This is all because of stupid love. I wish that I were dead."

"Um, hold on, don't you think that's a little dramatic?" Hilbert demanded, and I rolled my eyes.

"Instead of getting my man back, I'm flunking all of my classes, and I'm a total laughingstock… Everyone can just mock me and hate me, so just—please—end my misery right here!" I cried, hanging my head lowly. Silence followed this performance, and I raised my head again to look at Hilbert. He stared at me with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Finally, he said, "Go back for a second. You said you came here on a whim because of love? So… you came here to follow some guy, and going to the Pokémon Academy was just part of that plan?" His tone was skeptical, a little concerned, but it wasn't mocking. I appreciated this the most. He could make fun of me, but he didn't. "Wow."

I hung my head again; I didn't want Hilbert to see the tears welling in my eyes once again. It was one thing to cry in front of Cheren and Roxanne—Cheren had seen me cry before, and I could care less what Roxanne thought about me. But crying in front of Hilbert… I didn't want him to think that I was weak or naïve or stupid.

"So… instead of staying in Unova—where you are very clearly wanted and accepted by everyone—you stalk a guy to the best school in the country?" Hilbert continued, and even though he still sounded like he couldn't believe what I had done, he still wasn't mocking me; he was trying to understand me. "You know, Hilda, that's the weirdest reason I have ever heard for anyone wanting to come here."

I sniffled, wiping my eyes and looking back at him again. "Well, fine, why did you come here, then?"

He smacked his hands against his thighs, leaning back against the bench and nodding. "Okay. I grew up in the slums of Nimbasa City; I met people who failed at everything they did in life, and I didn't want to be that person. So, I took up battling in the Battle Subway to make a name for myself, and after a few years of that, I applied here. I didn't do any impressive research or anything like that to get in—I just studied hard and wrote a killer essay."

Wow. I didn't know that. I had heard of Hilbert, of course, as did most people who trained Pokémon. But it didn't seem many people knew his background; all he was trying to do was improve his life conditions, and who could blame him? He deserved to move forward from the slums and do something outstanding.

And he hadn't done anything like Roxanne or those guys in our circle, either. I wasn't alone. He knew how it felt to be me, then. Wait, no… no, he didn't. He was obviously incredibly intelligent if he got into the Academy _and_ became Professor Oak's assistant. He had brains. So, if that was what got him into the Academy, what got me in?

"I got through the Professor training program by studying nonstop, _and_ I worked two jobs to pay for it. So, please forgive me for not being entirely sympathetic to your situation," Hilbert finished, laughing a bit as he finished. I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes. Perhaps I had spoken too soon—maybe he was making fun of me.

"Fine," I muttered, crossing my arms beneath his sweatshirt. "Just because you've got a chip on your shoulder…"

He stared at me for a minute, his eyes narrowed just like mine. Then, after a second or two, he clapped his hands together and nodded. "You're right," he agreed, and I had to admit myself surprised at this. "But you know what—we've been given the chance of a lifetime here, and I'm not going to waste it by blowing off classes and going to parties. Now that I'm in the practice field, I have to work even harder. I'm going to study my ass off and succeed. So, you might want to think about getting a chip on your shoulder, too."

Hilbert stood up, walking away from the bench. I sat there for a moment, his sweatshirt still wrapped around me, before I shouted, "That's not very nice, you know!"

He spun back around, his teeth flashing in the darkness as he smiled, and threw his hands up. "Sorry. I'm just being honest with you. I've had to work twice as hard to get what I want." He shook his head, continuing his stroll. "And I want that sweatshirt back next time I see you!"

I huffed for a minute, putting my arms through his sweatshirt and wrapping it tightly around me. I couldn't help but note that it smelled like him.

Well, what started off as a pick-me-up (or, at least, that was what I had been expecting) turned into the opposite of that. People like Hilbert deserved to be here; he had a purpose, a reason to succeed. All I wanted to do was win back my ex-boyfriend. He had every reason to be negative with me. He had to work two jobs to pay for school, and here I was without a worry in the world.

Wait… _two jobs_?

I jumped to my feet, wobbling in my heels as I ran to catch up with Hilbert. He laughed again, stopping as he heard my heels clicking on the sidewalk, and he shoved his hands in his pockets as he waited for me to catch up.

"How did you do it? How did you study for all your classes _and_ work two jobs?" I demanded.

"I haven't slept in years," Hilbert responded somberly. I laughed, putting my hands on my hips. The sleeves of his sweatshirt were too long, and my hands didn't even pop out of them. But the point of my fake-annoyance was the same. "I don't have time for messing around, that's all. I've got limited time, so I can't go dressing up in costumes and doing my hair for hours. I use the time that I have to study."

"I don't take hours to do my hair," I responded angrily, and he winked at me.

"All of my studying and ignoring of invitations to parties will pay off when I become a professor." He smiled, and seeing him so happy thinking of his success made me blush. It was cute. Maybe that chip on his shoulder was really something. "I'll have enough to buy my family a new house away from the slums."

I felt my heart sink; why did Hilbert have to be such a good person? He was making it harder to tell myself that I deserved to be here.

"That is so _sweet_," I told him, and he shook his head.

"No, it's what I need to do for my mom." He patted me on the shoulder, and I caught myself staring at it even after he pulled his hand away. Maybe I was looking for the chip on my shoulder. "The chance that I've been given is something that I should be using to help everyone, not just myself. If I can do that by working two jobs and studying into the long hours of the night, then that's fine by me. And if I can do it, you can do it. You got into this school, too, Hilda. You just need to find that chip."

"I just need to prove to Cheren that I'm serious."

Hilbert laughed, crossing his arms. "You just need to get studying."

I sighed, shaking my head. Here was the problem. This was what I said I would do all along, and studying by myself clearly hadn't been working out. Now that I thought about it, when I was studying for the entrance exam, Elesa and Skyla had been helping me study. Maybe that was all I needed: a little scaffolding.

"Well, then, help _me_."

He watched me in silence for a few seconds; he seemed taken aback by my request. But after a moment of silence, he nodded. "Sure," he agreed, and I squealed, hugging him. He stiffened in my grip, but he was smiling when I let go of him.

"Okay, come with me!" I said, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards my dorm. We climbed what seemed like the endless flight of stairs that led to my room, and it was only when we reached my floor that I realized I was still holding his hand. I didn't let go until I opened the door to my room, and he didn't say anything about it.

I let Hilbert get himself settled while I dove into my closet and changed out of my Lopunny costume. I could hear him walking around my room, perhaps too uncomfortable to take a seat anywhere, and I covered my mouth with my hand to keep myself from giggling. Clearly this was one thing he missed out on from all his studying—he hadn't ever been in a girl's room. But that only made him seem even more adorable to me.

He asked something from the other side of the door, but I couldn't hear him as I flung a shirt over my head. "What?" I shouted back, pulling some pajama bottoms over my legs. It felt so much better being in comfy, albeit lazy, clothes.

"Study!" he shouted, and I opened the closet door. "Where are your books?"

I hurried over to my desk, lifting up several items of clothing as I searched for the books. I paused, trying to remember the last place I had seen them, but nothing was coming to me—at least, nothing came to me involving my room. I remembered buying them from the bookstore. After that, it was one big haze.

"Well, they're here somewhere," I muttered, and Hilbert clicked his tongue.

"Right."

"They are! I bought them!" I sat down on the floor, looking under my bed. Nothing. I hopped back up to my feet, putting my hands on my hips. "Well, at least I think I did. Oh, wait, here they are!"

I ran over to my laundry basket, pulling several books out of it and slamming them on my desk. Hilbert stared at me, clearly in disbelief, as he reached for the book on top of the pile. He ripped the clear plastic wrapping off and flipped through the pages, the sound of new, thick pages filling the room.

"I can see you've been studying hard," he said, and I frowned. I had meant to start reading the books; I really had. But I had been so busy copying down notes and preparing for the party and working out that I hadn't gotten around to it. "Look, this is your first problem. You need to organize your stuff, open your books, and get rid of all this crap."

He grabbed a sketch of a new outfit Elesa had sent me, moving to throw it in my garbage, but I reached out and took it from him. "It's not crap!"

Hilbert took it back from me, crumbled it up, and tossed it out. I screamed, jumping towards the basket and digging through it for the sketch. "If you're not using it to study, it's crap," he said, tossing item after item into the garbage until it was useless for me to keep searching for the sketch. "Are you angry with me? Good, be angry. I'm doing exactly what you asked me to do—helping. If you want to get that internship, then you're going to need to focus. Don't worry about things that don't concern you anymore, and keep your eye on the prize."

I flopped down on my bed, giving up. "Why do you always have to be right?" I muttered into my pillow, and Hilbert laughed.

"Because I was you once." He sat down on the bed next to me, and when I sat up, he handed me the book for Professor Oak's class. I grabbed it from him, and he smiled. "Here's your chip on your shoulder. Now, good night. I'll see you tomorrow."

He stood back up and walked out my door, closing it behind him so gently that there was no sound reminding me he was ever here. But the second he left, I opened the book and began to read it. This was all the reminder I needed.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! (And Happy Singles Awareness Day for those of us who don't have a significant other!)

Just to clarify—because I'm not sure it's entirely clear—Hilbert is still technically a student at the school. He completed the training program (which is what Hilda and Cheren are in right now), and now he's in the "practice field", as he called it.

You know, Hilda is lucky that she's getting personal help from the assistant in Oak's class. It's a wonder no one else thought about asking Hilbert for help. But I don't think Hilbert would help just anyone—he relates to Hilda. But still. She's pretty lucky.

This chapter follows pretty closely to the song it's based on. I think the song is really good, so I didn't want to stray too far.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon, nor do I own the musical/movie on which this is based.


	9. Studying Away

**Chapter Nine – Studying Away**

The months dragged on and on, but my grades in all of my classes were steadily improving. Hilbert kept his promise to me; he came over every single day to help me study. Normally, even thinking about studying made my head ache, but studying with Hilbert made things easier. He was tough on me, sure, but I looked forward to seeing him. He was my one true friend here, and I liked the consistency.

I stopped taking notes from Cheren and started staying in class, but my contact with him was not fully ceased. My heart still beat for him, so I made it a point to talk to him whenever Roxanne wasn't around. While this proved difficult, it gave us time to just talk. He was impressed with my ability to not be kicked out of class.

As our first break came around, things at school began to pick up speed. Professor Oak and my other professors tossed assignments at us as though we had all the time in the world, but I was determined to get them all done before I went home. Unfortunately, it would take more than a couple of hours to finish them all, and it became clear that I wouldn't be able to get them all done before I left.

Not to mention that Cheren's leaving distracted me from my assignments.

"Bye, Cheren!" I called out my window, waving to him as he jumped on his Unfezent to fly home. He waved at me as his Unfezent kicked off from the ground. "Have a great break! I'll see you when I get home later, okay?"

"Wait, where do you think you're going?" Hilbert asked from my desk as I shut the window. I furrowed my eyebrows at him, confused by his question. What part of _break_ and _I'll see you when I get home later_ did he not understand? He couldn't possibly think that I would be staying at the school while everyone else went home to relax.

"Home," I said plainly, and Hilbert laughed. "It's break. I'm going home."

He ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair, leaning so far back in my desk chair that I feared it might tip over. But then I realized that if he hit his head, he might remember that I needed to go home for break. And _then_ I felt guilty for wanting him to hit his head, but it was too late—I couldn't take the thought back.

"That's interesting." Hilbert spun slightly in the chair so he was facing me, and I put my hands on my hips. Over the past few months, Hilbert and I had grown comfortable enough with each other that neither of us feared being rude to or snippy with the other. It was something that I took advantage of far too often, and I knew Hilbert did, too. But neither of us really meant it when we were rude; we just wanted to protect each other.

"Say whatever you're going to say," I said, waving him off and grabbing my suitcase from my closet. I had been packing to leave for a few days now; I couldn't wait to get out of this place. However excited I was to see Hilbert every day, I still didn't like this school as well as I should. Having one friend meant that I could tolerate it.

"I'm just saying that it's interesting that you're going home." He shrugged, and I rolled my eyes. "Well, at the rate you're going, I'm predicting that you're going to pass—" I felt my heart swell with excitement; the possibility of getting Professor Oak's internship finally felt realistic with this encouragement. "—in the bottom percent of the class."

And then my heart shrunk again.

"Hilbert," I snapped, and he rose from my chair.

"Hey, I've been in your shoes, remember?" he pointed out, and I stuck my lip out in a pout. "I came in with an unimpressive résumé, and I was laughed at for it, too. But, as I've told you many times, I worked my tail off to make sure that I was the best. You can do it, too, Hilda. I have faith in your abilities, but you need to have faith, too. If you want that internship, you're going to have to stay and study over break. You know you won't get any work done if you go home."

He walked over to me, passing me Professor Oak's textbook. I grabbed it and whacked him in the arm with it. He rubbed the spot I hit, laughing despite this, and I couldn't help laughing with him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him to thank him for always being so right about me. I never would have made it this far without him.

"I hate you," I told him, smiling as I said it.

"I know," he responded, and I could hear the amusement in his voice. I saw his ever familiar smile when I pulled away from him. "I hate you, too."

* * *

><p>"Okay, Hilda, how about this one?" Bianca flipped a page in my book, her finger following the words on the page as she read. "There have been debates in recent years about the security of Poké Balls. Explain what the suggested problems with ball security say, and provide at least one name of the leading scientists researching this topic."<p>

I hummed, tapping my fingers on my desk as I tried to concentrate. Cheren was leaving for Christmas break soon, and I didn't want to miss him before he left. Apparently he was heading to Sinnoh with Roxanne for vacation, and I needed to make sure he got one last look at me before he left. I couldn't imagine spending two weeks with that woman, and he needed something to last him.

"I got this," I said, clicking my nails against the wood surface of my desk. "Scientists, including a man named Gregoire Donte—who leads a research team in France—found that Poké Balls may not necessarily protect Pokémon from all conditions. For example, within the last year, they discovered that overexposure in water leads to flooding with the ball. Water-type trainers are supposed to exert extreme caution in water, especially those who battle in the sea."

"Perfect!" Bianca jumped up from my bed, bouncing up and down on my floor and making my desk shake. I laughed as she pulled me to my feet, forcing me to jump up and down with her. I laughed, spinning around with her. This was the most fun I'd had all week, and it was so nice to have this short break.

A knock on my door distracted me, and Bianca and I stopped our bouncing. But I couldn't help but skipping to the door anyway, hoping to see Cheren's face as I opened the door. Instead, I was greeted with a large, poorly wrapped package in front of a face. I smiled at the sight anyway, even though I knew quite well that it wasn't Cheren.

"Ho, ho, ho!" the voice behind the package boomed, and I laughed, stepping aside so he could come into the room. He lowered the package from in front of his face, handing it to me. Hilbert grinned when he saw the smiled on my face, chuckling at the craziness of this situation. Here he was, the serious one, messing around. "For you."

"That's so sweet, Hilbert," I said, giggling again as I tore the paper off the package. It was—oh, how nice of him to get me yet another book to read. But I couldn't stop myself from smiling when I read the title: _Ethics for Dummies_.

"Oh, my goodness…" Bianca whispered from behind me. She stepped forward, holding her hand out to Hilbert. "My name is Bianca. I'm Hilda's best friend from home. It's so nice to meet you—now, I'll leave you two alone. Bye, Hilda!"

I laughed, doubling over as Bianca escaped the room. I knew exactly what she was thinking—that Hilbert and I were more than just friends. But she knew why I came to the Academy. She knew I was here for Cheren. Still, I had to admit that Hilbert was one of the best friends I could ever hope for, and this gift was so sweet—he thought of me. Oh, but I hadn't gotten him anything.

"This is really nice of you, Hilbert…" I said, still holding onto the book as I wrapped my arms around him. I was beginning to feel comfortable here, and clearly, so was he. He had gotten into the habit of holding me when I hugged him, and the movement seemed so natural, like we had been friends for years. It definitely felt like it.

"Hey, Hilda…"

I dropped my arms from around Hilbert's neck the second I heard Cheren's voice. He burst through the door, his hair tousled and his face contorted in frustration; he looked so handsome. I always thought it was so cute when he was upset, but maybe I had always taken it for granted.

"Have you seen Roxanne?" Cheren demanded, his fists clenched.

I smiled, just picturing how perfect things would be when Cheren and I were back together again. We would be the two best Pokémon Professors in the whole region—no, the whole country! We would have our little fights, and he would get riled up and his hair would get all messed up—and then we would make up again like we always did.

"Hilda?"

"Huh?" I shook my head, snapping back to the present. "Oh… oh, sorry, no. I haven't seen Roxanne."

"Damn it," Cheren snapped, turning on his heel and heading back towards my door. He slammed the door shut behind him as he left, and I stood staring at it for several seconds. At least I had gotten what I wanted—Cheren saw me one more time before he was stuck with Roxanne for a week.

Hilbert waved a hand in front of my face, and I nodded, squeezing his present against my chest. "Hilda… I don't know if this is something you've picked up on, but… have you noticed that whenever you're around Cheren, you tend to—how do I put this nicely—well, you tend to dumb yourself down? A _lot_."

I furrowed my eyebrows, shaking my head. "What?"

Hilbert shrugged, but I could tell he was itching to say whatever was on his mind. And knowing him, he was probably right—as usual. "Well, I mean, it's not really any of my business. But I kind of get the feeling that Cheren is actually the one stopping you from performing at your greatest potential, meaning that the man you're trying to impress is actually holding you back."

Whoa. _Whoa_. That was going too far. I didn't dumb myself down to impress Cheren. I was trying so hard to impress him with my brains, after all. Wasn't that why I was here in the first place—wasn't that why Hilbert was here helping me?

But… when had I ever been at my best? With Hilbert… with Bianca… with my Pokémon… never once had it been with Cheren. Though my grades had been steadily improving in all of my classes, I was usually too busy staring at Cheren to participate on my own. And I _knew_ the answers. I knew all of them. So, why hadn't I answered?

Because of Cheren. Because Cheren was a distraction. I could be the best—I had been before. I knew that answer today with Bianca. But if Cheren had been there, I would bet money that I would have gotten it wrong.

So, this whole time… I could be this phenomenal student with ambition and possibilities, not unlike Hilbert, but I was being held back by someone who was heading off on a vacation with another woman. Why hadn't I seen it before? Why hadn't Hilbert said anything sooner? If Cheren was holding me back from reaching my greatest potential, then I made a mistake.

I was wrong. I didn't need Cheren.

"You're right," I whispered, and Hilbert's eyes widened. Had he not been expecting me to agree? I always knew when Hilbert was right. "Wow, you're right! I've been made fun of and blown off, and I've been completely throwing all of my chances to succeed right out the window!" I laughed, holding my new book in the air. "Let's do this thing. I'm going to face Cheren and be _better_ than everyone else."

Hilbert grinned, tapping me on my shoulder. "You found your chip."

* * *

><p>"It's completely reasonable to say that Pokémon are bound to the trainers who captured them," Cheren explained, and Professor Oak nodded. "Most Pokémon, if not all of them, are loyal to their trainers no matter how they are treated. Sato had every right taking his Machoke back from Walker. Sato captured it, so the Machoke belonged to him. It doesn't matter whether the Machoke fled from Sato or not—the Pokémon belonged to him, so he got to keep it."<p>

"Great. Excellent deduction, Cheren," Professor Oak said, picking up his book from his desk and flipping through the pages to find another discussion topic. But something about this whole thing bugged me. If this was about Pokémon ethics, then the situation didn't sound ethical as it stood. Cheren's response left me uneasy.

So, I shot my hand into the air. Hilbert gave me a thumbs up from behind Oak, and when the professor called on me, I smiled. I could hear some murmurs from the back row; whatever I was about to say, they thought, would be pure entertainment. Even Professor Oak seemed surprised, and a little worried, about what was about to unfold.

But I had this under control. I knew what I was talking about.

"Cheren makes a good point," I began, and Oak nodded. "However, I think that part of being a trainer is listening to what our Pokémon want. Is it ethical to put a Pokémon, who was currently in a poor situation that did not suit its needs, back into that situation? Of course not. Sato may have been Machoke's trainer, but that is not to say that he owned it. Machoke didn't _belong_ to Sato. I think it's reasonable to say that Sato had no right to take Machoke back because Machoke _chose_ to leave Sato behind. Allowing Sato to get away with this means that we're saying it's okay for trainers to neglect their Pokémon."

"Perfect. That's exactly the answer I was looking for," Professor Oak said, and my heart stopped.

I couldn't believe it. I _couldn't_ believe it. No, I did. Because I just did that!

Professor Oak smacked his hand on his desk, setting the book back down on the desk. "All right, for next time, I want you all to have the last chapter completed with annotations. Oh, but Hilda, could I have a word with you before you leave?"

As the rest of the room filed out, I stayed behind to wait for Professor Oak. I swung my bag over my shoulder, walking slowly—hesitantly—towards the old man. I couldn't be getting in trouble… I had done all of my reading lately, and I just participated during class. But I didn't know what else he could want…

"Excellent job today. Do you have a copy of your résumé with you, by any chance? You _are_ applying for my internship, aren't you?" he asked, and my heart resumed beating. It picked up speed, beating so hard against my chest that it was probably visible. Professor Oak _wanted_ my résumé! He actually wanted me to apply for the internship!

"Uh, yes," I said, reaching into my bag and pulling out one of my résumés. I always kept a few with me—after getting that piece of advice from Hilbert. "Thank you so much for considering me, sir. I appreciate it."

"Yes, of course. Here, Hilbert, put this on file," he said, passing it off to the assistant. Hilbert nodded, winking at me before heading off to Oak's office. Oak left the room, as well, and soon I was the only one left.

So, seeing as I was all alone, I squealed until my voice died out.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Wait. Did something good actually just happen to Hilda? All thanks to Hilbert, of course. What a nice guy! What a genuinely nice guy! :D

In the musical, Hilbert's character mentions that Hilda's character gets dumber around Cheren's character, and Hilda's character agrees in, like, a second. I thought this needed more reasoning. So, I made Hilda reason through it. It seems more realistic if she sort of fights with herself about it before agreeing with Hilbert.


	10. Ethics

**Chapter Ten – Ethics**

"Hilbert, I need you to do something for me," I requested, kicking my legs against the edge of my bed. I didn't know why I was asking him to do this, but I knew that he would understand. He would help me, just as he always did. I was too scared to go at it alone, and I knew I would feel better about it if he came with me.

He looked up from the book he read at my desk, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes glowing with concern. "Anything."

I nodded, rubbing my hands together as I thought about how to word this. Perhaps I was sticking my nose in a matter that didn't involve me, but Bianca had been confiding in me for quite some time now. I wanted to make sure that she got what she deserved, and if that meant sticking my nose where it didn't belong, I was willing to take that risk.

"Will you come with me to get Bianca's Stoutland back?" I asked. Clearly, this hadn't been the question Hilbert had been expecting since his eyes lost all trace of concern. Instead, he looked mildly impressed. "When she first moved here, she started dating this complete tool. But he left her for another girl and took her Stoutland with him. I want to go get it back, but I don't think I can do it alone."

"Well, I think you could," Hilbert said with a wink, "but I will be more than happy to provide the support that you need to make this happen." He stood up as I jumped down from my bed, grabbing my jacket from the hook on the wall. "You need to have more faith in your abilities, Hilda. You know what you're doing."

I didn't say anything to this; I smiled to myself when Hilbert wasn't looking, thinking to myself that he always knew exactly what to say.

* * *

><p>"Do we really have to do this, Hilda? I mean, I may act all brave and omniscient and stuff, but… I don't know about this. I'm not the type of girl who knocks on a door, spits in a guy's face, and takes my Pokémon back," Bianca said solemnly, but even Hilbert was chuckling behind her. I shot him a look, and when Bianca raised her eyebrows, I just smiled.<p>

The three of us stood outside a lopsided trailer a couple towns away in Cerulean. We had flown here together on our Pokémon, but I had to admit, I thought Bianca was going to turn around and leave us. Still, we made it to her ex-boyfriend's filthy shack without much resistance from her. Now, however, was a different story.

"Bianca, you can totally do this!" She lowered her gaze; she was so unsure of herself. I sighed, trying to think of ways to motivate her. "Look, you were a complete _badass_ when you took the role as Professor Juniper's bodyguard when Team Plasma went crazy. And you obviously followed your gut when you started promoting your dream spas. That's all you need to do! You need to go out on a limb, follow your gut, and do what's right!"

She shuffled her feet against the ground, glancing between Hilbert and me. It was amazing what love could do to a person. Here she was, a girl who used to stand up to her father on a daily basis, and now she couldn't even stand up to a man who broke her heart. Love was so powerful, so rewarding, but when that love hurt, it crushed a girl.

_At least she's not like me_, I thought, remembering how badly I had hurt after Cheren broke up with me. How could I have ever thought that changing who I was was a good idea? At least something good had come out of it; even if I came to the Pokémon Academy for the wrong reason, being here now wasn't so terrible.

"Well, it is Stoutland's birthday. I made her a cake." Bianca lifted the lid off the box she was holding, showing Hilbert and me a small frosted Poké cake. They were popular back in Unova, but I hadn't seen any since I arrived in Kanto. She must have made her own—I wouldn't be able to do that if I tried.

"That's devotion," Hilbert said, and Bianca smiled.

"This _means_…" I dragged the word out, putting a hand on Bianca's shoulder, "you really care for your Stoutland! If you keep track of its birthday and bake it a cake, then you deserve to be with her. So, go march up to that door, knock on it as hard as you can, punch that asshole in the face, and take your Stoutland back!"

"No need to resort to violence," Hilbert muttered, but Bianca had already moved closer to the house with her hand curled up in a fist.

She hesitated as she lifted her hand to knock on the door, and for a second I thought she might back down again. But she pounded hard on the door, and I nudged Hilbert. He smiled at me, nodding reassuringly, and we watched as a man who resembled a Hariyama answered the door. Bianca seemed to get smaller.

How she had ever fallen in love with a guy like that was beyond me. I wasn't one to settle for looks alone, but I always thought Bianca could do better than this. He _looked_ like a tool. His patched clothes, beer belly, and shaggy hair were not what I pictured when Bianca described this man to me. Maybe he had been good-looking once, but apparently his personality caught up with him. I didn't feel at all sorry, just disgusted.

"Oh, it's just you," the ex said, staring down at Bianca with something like contempt in his eyes—as if _he_ had anything to be bitter about! Who did he think he was, anyway? What kind of sorry, pathetic man stole a girl's Pokémon when he broke up with her? She was scared, distraught, and he took advantage of her. "Get off my property."

"I want Stoutland back," Bianca said in a small voice, and the ex laughed. If there was one thing I wouldn't stand for, it was mocking. I knew what it felt like to be laughed at, and Bianca was too innocent to have to deal with it. If that man tried anything else, I was going to show him exactly who was boss. "I want her back! I bet you didn't even know that it's her birthday! I baked her a cake and everything."

The ex's face relaxed, and I curled my hands into fists. "Oh, how sweet!" he said snidely, ripping the cake from Bianca's grasp and tossing it to the ground. Bianca whimpered, and Hilbert grabbed my arm to keep me from running up to the man and punching him in the face. "Take your fat ass off my property. No one wants you here."

He slammed the door in Bianca's face, and she stepped backwards in surprise, backing right into the pile of mush that once was a cake. She turned back around, looking at Hilbert and me with sad eyes, and wiped the cake off her boot with the dead grass. I hurried towards her, pressing her against me, but she didn't hug me back.

"I can't believe I ever went out with that piece of trash," she whispered, though only because I doubted her voice was strong enough to speak in a normal tone. When I pulled away, tears were bubbling in her eyes, and she was fighting them as hard as she could. But when she blinked, some slipped over the edge, dripping down her cheeks like little streams.

No one made my friend cry. No one.

"Hilda," Hilbert called just as I was making my way over to the pathetic excuse for a house. I stopped only after he pulled me back, holding onto my chipped shoulder and spinning me back around to face him. "Remember your reading from the other night? The one you went over in Oak's class? Remember what you said about Sato?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. Well, sure, I remembered what I said. It was the first time I had ever said anything particularly worthwhile in class.

_Sato may have been Machoke's trainer, but that is not to say that he owned it. Machoke didn't _belong_ to Sato. I think it's reasonable to say that Sato had no right to take Machoke back because Machoke _chose_ to leave Sato behind. Allowing Sato to get away with this means that we're saying it's okay for trainers to neglect their Pokémon._

Right!

"Hilbert, you are a _genius_," I told him, standing up on my tiptoes and kissing him on the cheek. "You're the best."

I turned on my heel, stomping up to the door and banging on it. I feared that I would leave a dent before I realized that I didn't actually care if I did. I would have much preferred leaving a dent in this guy's skull, but Hilbert probably wouldn't be very impressed with me if I did that. Besides, talking it out would work just fine.

"_Whaaaaat_?" the ex called, swinging the door open. He stood up a little straighter when his gaze fell on me, but I just crossed my arms and pursed my lips. "Oh, _hello_."

Normally, I probably would have puked—preferably all over his ripped sneakers (which made me want to puke anyway)—but I ignored the urge. This man had to be the definition of _trashy_. Considering he left Bianca for another woman, he clearly wasn't too attached to that lady, either. Somehow, I didn't feel too badly for the other woman.

"Good afternoon. My name is… Hillary… and I am a Pokémon Professor." I paused. I had no idea if I was allowed to do this. "It seems that we have an ethical violation occurring in this household according to this young woman. Is it true that you have in your possession a Stoutland that once belonged to her?"

"Uh… yeah," the ex said, and I nodded, clicking my tongue.

"I see. And is it true that Stoutland had no choice in the matter, and that you took this Pokémon against its will and its master's will?" The ex opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He wasn't the brightest, clearly. "Therefore, this Stoutland still has the opportunity to choose who it wants as its master under ethical code number… 46. The Pokémon can leave any dangerous or uncomfortable situation in accordance of this code."

"Huh?"

"Stoutland wants Bianca. We're taking her back," I said plainly, and Bianca called for it. The Pokémon came running, bouncing around the ex's legs and hurrying towards its true master. I laughed as Bianca hugged Stoutland, grabbing the door from the man and slamming it shut. I pictured the guy standing there with a perplexed expression.

That was that.

"Hilda… this was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you," Bianca said, her Stoutland close to her legs. Bianca pulled me in for a hug, squeezing so tightly that my bones might crush. But I laughed, anyway, brushing her hair out of her eyes and nodding. I felt just as happy as she did.

Wait… _yes_.

I had been wrong when I asked Hilbert to help me this morning. I hadn't been asking him to help me at all. No… this was what being a professor was about! This was exactly what Hilbert had been telling me when he said I needed to find that chip on my shoulder. I wasn't asking for help for _me_; I asked for help for _Bianca_. And helping others was exactly why being a Pokémon Professor would be worthwhile. This was why we did this.

This was why I wanted to be a professor.

As Hilbert and I walked back towards the Academy, leaving Bianca back at the spa with her companion, I couldn't help but think about this. I really wanted to be a professor—because I wanted to help people and Pokémon. If helping people and studying Pokémon and doing all this was what the job entailed, it was perfect.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hilbert asked, and I glanced at him. I hadn't realized I had been walking with a rather dazed expression.

I nodded. "I'm great actually. Thank you for coming with me."

He just smiled, and without another word we continued walking. I thought about what just happened, so happy to have this time to reflect upon it. The whole scene played back in my head like a movie, and each time it restarted I felt even surer about what I wanted. It wasn't until we stopped at our bench outside Ivy Hall that I spoke again.

"Can I get in trouble for impersonating a professor?" I wondered.

Hilbert laughed, swinging an arm around my shoulders. I felt so comfortable against him; I grabbed the hand dangling over my left shoulder, holding onto it and pulling myself closer to him. I fit perfectly against him, and he was so warm and soft that I felt I could fall asleep on him in any second. I leaned my head against his chest.

"Does it matter? You did a good thing," he pointed out, and I hummed. That was true, but it still seemed like I could get in trouble if anyone found out about this. It was so unlike Hilbert to be so nonchalant about the whole thing.

"I think I'm having a bad influence on you." I could hear his heart beat against his chest, a steady drum like a beat in the background of a song.

"I think so, too," he agreed, and neither of us spoke again. We just sat together on the bench, and I listened to the beat of his heart until I fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> If Hilda hadn't turned away right after she kissed Hilbert on the cheek, I think that would have been the best reaction in the whole world. But I purposefully decided that it would be better off leaving Hilda ignorant of that reaction, and if she didn't see it, we didn't see it. Just imagine it, folks. ;)

And awwwwww. How cute.


	11. So Much Better

**Chapter Eleven – So Much Better**

When I woke up the next morning, I was tucked snugly in bed, still wearing the same clothes as yesterday. For a minute, I was confused as to how I got there, and when I opened my eyes, I was confused as to where I was. But then I realized that Hilbert must have carried me up to his room, probably because he was scared to wake me up. I felt guilt fester within me; it was rude of me to have fallen asleep on him.

I rubbed my eyes, sitting up and glancing around the room. Unlike my dorm room, his bedroom was spic and span; each item was perfectly placed on the shelf, the desk clear of everything except some books and a computer. There were no posters on his walls, and it appeared there was one sole picture frame on his nightstand with a picture of him with his mother.

I reached over and picked the picture up, brushing my hair out of my face as I stared at it. The woman was lovely; Hilbert looked just like her. He was years younger in the picture, perhaps seventeen or eighteen. His hair was a little longer, curling out from beneath a baseball cap, but the smile was the same. The happiness I saw on his face was familiar to me, and this pleased me to no end. Even with a chip on his shoulder now, he was still the same man.

Setting the picture back down, I crawled out of his bed and took a few minutes to look around the room. It probably wasn't polite of me to pry, but this was the first time I'd been in his room; he had been in my room so many times that it was only fair that I got a look here. The fact that the room was so empty said a lot about his dedication, if only because I knew his personality.

I opened the door to his room, walking into a shallow hallway. I could hear Hilbert talking somewhere in the apartment, but when I stepped out into a small living space at the end of the hallway, he wasn't there. Instead there sat a small couch with several blankets thrown over it. I frowned upon seeing this; I very well could have taken the couch. But no—Hilbert, being the gentleman he was, wouldn't have settled for that.

"Oh, Hilda, great."

Hilbert walked into the living room, a small PokéNav in his hand. I gestured to the couch, opening my mouth to tell him that he didn't have to do that for me, that he could've just woke me up, but he held up a hand before I could start. There was something in his eyes, something like excitement, but I had never seen him quite so worked up.

"Trust me, it's fine. You were exhausted. I actually, er, walked into a few walls on the way up carrying you, and you didn't even stir," he said before jumping into the topic he really wanted to discuss with me. "Listen, I just got a call from Professor Oak. He's in a bit of a bad mood. Apparently there's been some movement up in Cerulean to try to free all Pokémon from their trainers."

Well, that sounded familiar. "That sounds like Team Plasma."

"Yeah, but they've been disbanded, thanks to you," Hilbert pointed out, and I nodded. But Ghetsis had escaped all those years ago—who was to say that he hadn't snuck out to Kanto and started up another team of crooks here? "Anyway, Oak is so flustered that he's putting up his list of interns today outside the classroom. He needs all the help he can get trying to stop these fools."

When he stopped, I had to admit that I expected a bit more than that. "And?" I asked, and Hilbert shrugged.

"I don't know; that's all he told me."

I hadn't expected Hilbert to tell me if I was included on that list or not; he was too honest a guy to say anything to me before anyone else knew. But I was hoping for a sign, some tiny smile, that might indicate that he knew or not. And I could confirm that he was telling the truth—Professor Oak hadn't told him who was on the list.

"Well, I need to change before I head down to the classroom. Will you meet me there in an hour?" I asked, and he nodded. He walked me to his door, opening it for me and watching as I exited. Just before he shut the door, I stopped, turning briskly and suddenly on my heel. "Hilbert!" He grabbed the door at the last second, pulling it a back open. "Thanks."

He just smiled, shutting the door and leaving me alone in the apartment hallway.

I headed back to my dorm, the walk quicker and easier than I expected. Hilbert's apartment was right off campus, just a fifteen-minute walk back to my place. Getting ready took longer; I wanted to look my best just in case—whether I got the internship or not.

Thoughts raced through my mind, some negative and some positive. On the one hand, I could have gotten the internship; I proved to everyone what I could do, and I deserved to be there. On the other hand, I could not have gotten it; all the effort I had put forth this semester went unnoticed, and I would settle for being mediocre. I wanted to hope that I made it, but the spots were limited. If I didn't, it wouldn't be a surprise.

I showered and changed clothes, slipping into a nice pair of dress pants and a blouse. I dabbed on just a bit of makeup, and with that, I hurried down to the classroom. There was already a crowd waiting around the bulletin board outside of the classroom, and although I wanted to look, I stood back and waited for Hilbert to arrive.

Cheren made it there before Hilbert did. I watched him as he stepped up to the list, his finger tracing down along names in small print. He hesitated, stopping at one the names, and time seemed to stop. Another hand appeared over his, moving down the same list of names and stopping at the one right below his.

It was like watching a silent movie. Roxanne's mouth opened, and she said something to Cheren. He wrapped his arms around her, spinning her around and kissing her like he used to kiss me. A few of the other guys in the class patted Cheren on the back once the couple broke apart, a few girls whispered things to Roxanne.

But it wasn't until Cheren dropped down on one knee that I stepped forward.

"Roxanne," he began, pulling a little box out of his pocket. I kept walking until I was right in front of Roxanne and Cheren, staring at my ex-boyfriend in disbelief. This moment… this was the one that I wanted. This was the one that I had been fighting for. This was the one that was supposed to make me happy, the one that I didn't get and the one that brought me here.

I felt a hand on shoulder, but I didn't turn. Hilbert's hand slipped away from me when I didn't react. I watched, instead, as Cheren opened the little box, revealing a diamond engagement ring that had once belonged to his grandmother. My heart stopped, though not in the way I had ever expected when I pictured seeing that ring.

Roxanne stared in shock at the ring, the flicker of a smile on her lips—but she wasn't jumping for joy like I would have. "Make this the happiest day of my life," Cheren told her, and Roxanne glanced around at the crowd of people around them. Everyone was staring at them now, but no one wanted to hear her say no more than me. "Marry me?"

Roxanne caught my gaze, her eyes wide and—if I wasn't mistaken—worried. But she turned back to Cheren, and the word _yes_ slipped from her lips. She thrust her hand towards Cheren, and he slipped the ring on her finger. And when Cheren rose back to his feet and kissed Roxanne, it took everything in me to keep me standing.

I had done everything I could to win him back. I followed him here against the protests of my friends; I suffered the torment of my classmates… I turned my entire world upside down just to be with him, and I had failed. After all this time, he hadn't respected my mind at all—he would never love me again.

And watching him commit to someone else hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I felt the hand on my shoulder again. I didn't turn, but this time Hilbert didn't pull away. He tapped and tapped and tapped and tapped—

"_What_?" I snapped, yelling because I was afraid I might start crying. Hilbert pointed to the list on the wall that everyone had been staring at before Cheren's proposal, and I stepped towards it. I didn't even want to look anymore. I should have turned around right then and left—it wasn't like I had a hope of getting that internship, anyway.

My eyes moved past Cheren's name, past Roxanne's name, and there—the third name on the list—

_My name. That was my name_.

"Whoa!" I yelled, and Hilbert dropped his hand from the list. I resisted the urge to rip the list down from the wall and frame it in my room. "That's me! Wow, that's me! I… I can't believe it." I paused, realizing that this had to be some cruel joke or some dream. Yeah, that was it. I was just asleep. "Hilbert, quick, pinch me!"

Hilbert laughed, raising his eyebrows at me. "What?"

"Pinch me! Come on, just do it!" I held out my arm towards him, and he hesitantly grabbed an inch of my skin. A little burst of pain resonated in the area he pinched, and I clapped my hands together. This was real—I was awake! And Professor Oak was too serious a guy to make a joke out of this. This really just happened. I had actually done _something_ right.

Someone recognized my abilities, and this was more than I could ask for. And if Hilbert and Professor Oak and Bianca thought I could do it, then screw Cheren! He could give himself up to a snobby girl like Roxanne for all I cared; he never saw what anyone else saw about me. That list proved my worth—Cheren couldn't do that for me.

Wow! I felt so much better!

"Cheren!" I called, and he looked away from the group of guys around him and towards me. I smiled, folding my hands together. "Listen, sorry I've been so annoying, but I guess my best wasn't working with you. But I really look forward to working together on this internship, and I really hope we can still be friends."

Cheren's jaw dropped, and he shook his head. "Working—wait, back up, working _together_?"

I nodded, patting his arm. "It'll be such an enriching experience, don't you think? And, oh…" I paused, realizing that this was my opportunity to rub it in his face; I could play nice, sure. But after the torment Cheren put me through, I deserved to make it known that I wouldn't be settling anymore. "Do you remember when we went to Undella Town and spent a whole week just hooking up there?" Cheren swallowed, clearly unsure how to answer that question. "This is so much better than that!"

Several of the guys surrounding Cheren hollered out, and I crossed my arms. I didn't mean to ruin the _happiest day of his life_, certainly, but that was just too good not to say.

"I'm sorry that you were incorrect about my intelligence, Cheren. I guess you were wrong," I continued, and Cheren just continued to gape at me. "Congratulations on your engagement, Cheren."

If he preferred Roxanne to me, fine. Last year, I was in the same position she was—perhaps with a little less commitment. But Cheren could always change his mind, always look to go back to me. Only he would find that, this time, I would be the one to say no. I was moving on to better things and better jobs, and this was no time for me to mourn what could have been.

My name on that list was all I needed.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> The latter third of this chapter is based on my second favorite song from the musical, so it was really hard not to have the characters just burst into song. XD But the song is also really repetitive, so that wouldn't make a particularly interesting piece of prose. Ah, well.

Since some of you may think, "Gosh, that was fast for Cheren to propose", the timeline of this fanfic is much more spread out than the chapters let on. It's been almost a year since Cheren and Hilda broke up, and Cheren began dating Roxanne almost immediately after that. So, it's not like it's been just a couple of months or anything.


	12. Whipped

**Chapter Twelve – Whipped**

The following weekend was one of the best in my life. I finally felt that after all this time, I was about to show everyone that I truly belonged at the Pokémon Academy, and that confidence wove its way into every fiber of my being. It didn't matter that I lost the man I came here to win; I found myself along the way.

Normally, I would have celebrated this latest victory with some of the finest hard liquor available, but I spent my weekend with Hilbert and Bianca instead. We celebrated by reading up on the latest developments in Cerulean. Somehow, being with the two of them and studying was way more fun than drinking had ever been.

Although Professor Oak would give us the gritty details about the situation in Cerulean on Monday, we discovered from news articles and news coverage that something big was going down in Cerulean. The situation was, it seemed, incredibly similar to the situation Team Plasma created back in Unova. A group of people were stealing Pokémon from their trainers and releasing them into the wild. This group, however, did not play it off as an innocent act; they were much more blatant about their methods.

And that was where we came into the picture; as the Pokémon Professor of the region, Professor Oak needed to assess the situation, similar to how Professor Juniper handled the situation in Unova. He was the authority on all things Pokémon, the end-all-be-all for situations involving Pokémon. So, he would need to figure out who was behind this and stop them.

"He offered me a job, you know," Hilbert told me that Sunday evening. We were in my room, as usual, trying to find articles with updates about the situation; Bianca had returned home to tend to her Pokémon. I looked up from my pile of papers and raised my eyebrows. "Professor Oak did. He said that if this went well, I could start working for him when I graduate as an assistant professor. That's pretty much a guaranteed career as a professor."

"Wow, Hilbert! I'm so proud of you!" I jumped up from my bed, hurrying over to hug him. He laughed, almost tipping back in my desk chair. I pushed myself away from him, jumping up onto my desk and swinging my legs. "All of your hard work is paying off. Soon you'll be able to buy that house for your mom. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He smiled, shrugging. "I guess I didn't want to make it seem like I was one-upping you or something. Friday was a pretty big day for you, too, after all."

"Oh, please." I pushed his arm, and he wobbled backwards in the desk chair. "I know you're the most brilliant guy here, so you doing something amazing like this isn't incredibly unexpected. But I'm still really proud of you. And I'm _honored_ that an amazing guy like you would spend so much time with a girl like me."

Hilbert sat up straight in the chair, crossing his arms and furrowing his eyebrows. "What's that supposed to mean? You're brilliant, too, Hilda."

I swallowed; maybe I had said the wrong thing. I didn't particularly want to argue with Hilbert about it right now, or ever, so I just folded my hands together and smiled. I had just proved myself, hadn't I, by getting Professor Oak's internship? But I would never be able to do what Hilbert could do. And I was okay with that. He made me proud.

"It's getting late," I said, hopping down from the desk and patting him on the back. "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow."

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but whatever it was he wanted to say, it remained a secret to me. He just stood up, closing his computer and sticking it under his arm. He bit his lip before nodding. "Right," he agreed, his eyes hiding the words he wanted to say. "Bright and early tomorrow."

* * *

><p>I could barely sleep, I was so excited. I jumped out of bed the second my alarm went off, grabbing the most professional set of clothes I had to wear today. I quickly ironed the pencil skirt and blouse, throwing them on over a pair a pair of stockings. Brushing my hair out, I pulled it back in a bun and examined myself in the mirror—yes. <em>This<em> was serious.

Running to the classroom, I was pleased to see that I was the second person there—only after Hilbert. I was in the right place, but I was still the first intern to show up. This, I decided, was going to be a really good day. And didn't I deserve it after everything else? I needed something good like this to happen.

"Hey, Hilda," Hilbert greeted as I walked towards him. "Bright and early, just like you said."

"Absolutely. I'm not going to let Cheren or Roxanne beat me here, are you kidding? I'm starting my fight right this second," I decided, and Hilbert raised his eyebrows. "Well, I've been so intent on winning Cheren back… I don't want to anymore. I just want to do this for _me_. And if I'm going to do that, then I need to prove myself to Professor Oak even more."

Hilbert's eyes lit up a little, the first time since I had taken a swing at myself last night. But who was he kidding? He was this brilliant guy with so much potential, and he wasted his time helping me study. For a guy who prided himself for the chip on his shoulder, he was awfully generous. It was like he would do anything for me, and I was grateful.

"Good. This is exactly the opportunity for you to show me what you've got," a third voice added, and I turned to look at Professor Oak. He shoved his hands in his lab coat pockets, a smile on his face. I blushed; I hadn't meant for anyone but Hilbert to hear my little speech. But it sounded like Oak was okay with it…

So, I nodded, retracting a little inside myself. It was easy to say that I was going to prove myself, but as soon as Professor Oak's eyes were on me, it made things a little harder. But I shouldn't have worried… he selected me for this internship, didn't he? He obviously recognized my potential, so I could definitely prove myself.

We waited for the rest of the interns to arrive before we set off on our trip. There were, as promised, four of us in total: Cheren, Roxanne, one of the boys from my circle on the first day of classes—Donny, and me. Professor Oak was more than just our teacher now; he was our boss. If he didn't like what we were doing, he could end our career without feeling any remorse for it.

In other words, I couldn't keep getting kicked out now. I needed to be on my A-game.

He refused to fill us in on the details of the Cerulean situation until we got there. Cheren and Roxanne looked a little annoyed at this, but Hilbert and I just smiled at each other; we had been doing enough research to hold us over a couple of hours. So, we all hopped on our bird Pokémon and flew off without complaint.

From the sky, it was easier to see how different Kanto was from Unova. The mountains and hills and waters were picturesque, as though they were taken from the back of a postcard and plopped right below us. Unova wasn't so pretty; being so urban, the smog often clouded what could have been beautiful landscapes. Maybe I hadn't like Kanto so much at first, but I was beginning to grow attached to it.

We landed in front of the police station in Cerulean. Though I expected one of the policemen to fill us in on the situation, Professor Oak signed us in and led us to a conference room beside the holding area. As we all took our seats, we glanced around at each other with relative confusion. But it would all become clear in a few short moments.

"As you well know by now, there has been a movement in Cerulean to free the Pokémon from trainer captivity. Naturally, people are upset by this development. The culprits behind this uprising have been stealing Pokémon from their trainers and releasing them into the wild kilometers south of here. Only seven of the stolen Pokémon have been recovered," Professor Oak explained.

"Out of how many?" I asked, and Professor Oak frowned.

"Around fifty." Hilbert and I exchanged a look, and the other interns murmured to each other. "This is why the situation has become so problematic. The group behind this attack has been stealing with ease, and it is unclear how long they have been doing this. That said…" Professor Oak rose from his seat at the table, walking towards the window and tapping on it. "They have the suspected leader of the syndicate here in the holding area. It's our job as Pokémon Professors to gather as much research and data as we can to stop the crimes. We start with the man in that cell: Natural Harmonia Gropius."

That sounded familiar… why did that sound so familiar? I had heard that name before somewhere… maybe once… I didn't know when, and I didn't know why. Natural Harmonia Gropius… Natural… Natural…

Oh!

"N? Do you mean that's N in that cell?" I demanded, rising to my feet. Hilbert raised his eyebrows at me, and Cheren tugged on my blouse sleeve. I wanted to slap him; he knew N, too. Cheren _had_ to know!

"Natural Harmonia Gropius… commonly referred to as 'N'," Professor Oak read off his clipboard. He set the clipboard down on the table, crossing his arms as he stared at me. I didn't know what to make of his expression. I couldn't tell whether he was happy that I knew the man in the cell or if he was angry with me. "Do you know him?"

"Yeah, I know him well. What I don't know is why he's here in Kanto," I said, ignoring Cheren as he gestured to my seat to make me sit back down. I was too worked up now. "But I can guarantee that he has nothing to do with this whole thing. The situation is so similar to the one I dealt with in Unova a few years back, and I know N would never be involved with anything like that again. He's too kind-hearted. Someone is framing him."

Silence filled the room for a minute; I shot a look at Cheren, begging for him to back me up. He had to know that N would never do anything like this—the only reason he had been involved with Team Plasma in the first place was because that Ghetsis creep abused him into it. N was sweet, albeit a little misunderstood, but I knew he was not capable of doing what Ghetsis did.

"Wait," Roxanne finally said to break the silence. "Are you telling me that _you_ are the one who stopped Team Plasma in Unova?_ You're_ the hero everyone always talks about?"

I blushed, finally taking this chance to sit down in my chair. I wanted to keep sinking to the floor and slide underneath the table, but I didn't. Whoops. I never wanted anyone to know what I had done, and Roxanne was certainly the last person in the world I wanted to find out. This didn't make me or anything.

And I was no hero—despite what the legend said.

"Well, as a former leader of Team Plasma, things don't look particularly good for N," Professor Oak said, dragging us back on subject. "We need to talk to N and find out what he knows about the events here. The thieveries are still occurring even with N behind bars, so we need him to tell us who the culprits are."

"I'm sorry, but I don't believe he did it," I said, and now Cheren elbowed me. The urge to hit him grew stronger and stronger. Why wasn't he backing me up here? Cheren didn't like N, certainly, but that didn't mean he wanted to see N in jail. Ghetsis was more the problem all along—but the chances of Ghetsis, too, being in Kanto were slim to none.

Professor Oak just stared at me, and after a minute of silence, he gestured to the door. "Then, I suggest we go find out who did. Let's talk to him."

He opened the door, and we filed out one by one. Hilbert pulled me back as we entered the hallway, walking closely beside me and whispering, "Don't let your emotions get the best of you. If you really want to show Professor Oak that you can do this, then you need to control yourself. If you believe N is innocent, show it by finding out who isn't."

Hilbert walked ahead then, and I sighed. He was right again…

"Everyone, this is Natural Harmonia Gropius," Professor Oak said as we arrived at the green-haired man's cell. He looked just like I remembered him from years ago. I couldn't believe it had been so long; when he said goodbye, I figured it was goodbye forever. Who would have thought that he'd be sitting in a prison cell?

"Hilda?" N asked as I stepped closer, and I nodded. His pale face brightened a little bit. "It's been a long time."

"Longer if you don't give us the information we need," Professor Oak interrupted before I could say anything, and N frowned. "We need you to give us information regarding the situation here in Cerulean. If you want to get out of there, then you need to cooperate. If not… well, you'll be there awhile, and you won't see Hilda again for much longer."

"Hey—" I started, wishing that Professor Oak would keep me out of this, but Hilbert caught my gaze and shook his head. I bit my lip to keep me from saying anything else.

N, however much I wanted him to cooperate, didn't. "I won't."

"You can't or you won't?" Professor Oak asked.

"Won't," N stated matter-of-factly. I sighed, wishing that he would just tell us what we needed to hear and be done with it. If he wasn't going to help us out, then that meant he was guilty, didn't it? I didn't want to believe that. "I'm not saying I'm guilty or anything, but I won't supply you with the information you need."

Professor Oak nodded, turning around to face us instead of N. His eyes fell on me briefly, for a second only, before he shook his head. "Fine. Come along, everyone. We need to go talk to some of the Cerulean people to see what they know."

Everyone started off, but I lingered behind. I smiled at N as he sunk back down on his bed, his face in his hands. He didn't notice that I stayed behind until I cleared my throat, and he looked up with a grin. N and I had never really been friends, nor had we really been enemies—or even acquaintances. I didn't know how to describe our relationship. A bond, maybe. But I believed in his innocence all the same.

"I know you didn't do it, N," I said.

"Yeah?"

"But you need to tell me what you know. I won't tell anyone else if you just tell _me_." I bent down, squatting to be at eye-level with him. I didn't know how I was going to make this work, but it would. "I need to know in order to get you out of here, and that means finding the person who set you up. It'll be a lot easier if you give me some information."

N sighed, shaking his head. "All right. I came to Kanto after I left Unova. I heard about a Champion here named Red who disappeared, so I figured it would be easy to be by myself here. But a man recognized me and told me that he agreed with Team Plasma's ideals a few months back. This string of robberies has been occurring since then."

"Do you know who the man is?" I asked.

"No. He was tall and had dark hair, but I haven't seen him since."

Well, that wasn't as helpful as I had been hoping. N really didn't know much about what was going on. But this realization only made me feel worse; the poor man didn't know anything really, and here he was, sitting in jail. How was that fair?

But that just meant that I would need to do my job and collect data on the situation. It would all work out in the end. It had to.

One thing, however, stuck out in my mind. "Why didn't you want to tell the others?"

N lowered his gaze, folding his hands together and looking strained. "Because I didn't do anything to stop the man. I'm supposed to be a hero, too, Hilda. And I did nothing. I didn't tell him that Team Plasma was wrong; I didn't tell him to stop… And if I did nothing, then that means I'm just as guilty as he is."

I stood back up, flattening out my pencil skirt. I wanted to say something uplifting, tell him that he was wrong—he wasn't guilty. But I didn't. He would need to figure that much out on his own. So, I left him without saying anything.

"Where have you been?" Professor Oak asked when I entered the lobby. He had been talking with one of the police officers, but it was clear that conversation was now over.

"With N. I got the information he had," I said. Everyone perked up as I admitted this, and the group gathered closer around me. Professor Oak stared expectantly at me, and when I caught Hilbert's gaze, he nodded. But it wasn't my secret to tell. Even if it wasn't that big a deal, I promised N I wouldn't say anything. "I can't tell you, though."

"Why not?" Professor Oak demanded, his eyes flashing dangerously now.

"I promised! I can't break that promise."

"Listen, I don't know how you do things back in Unova, but this is _important_. People's Pokémon are being stolen, and if you don't tell us what you know, then we will never be able to stop it," Roxanne snapped, pointing at me. For a second, I wanted to tell her. I wanted to tell all of them. But I promised…

"Then we're not very good professors! Listen," I began, and Professor Oak ran a finger against his temple. "I can assure you that N has very little to do with this whole thing. He's innocent. He has _not_ been ordering anyone else to be kidnapping these Pokémon."

"Hilbert, we need to talk," Professor Oak muttered, and the two went off.

I didn't know why this was such a big deal. The information was such that we could get it if we worked hard enough to do so. There was nothing impressive about it, nothing that I couldn't say—but I promised. And what part of _promise_ did they not understand? N trusted me, and if I wanted to keep that trust, then I would need to keep my mouth shut.

"Hilda, just _tell_ them! If we fail, then a lot more than a failing letter grade could come of this. People and Pokémon could get _hurt_," Roxanne said, and I shook my head.

"I won't let that happen."

"Come on, Hilda," Cheren said this time, the first time he had addressed me since we came here. I was still bitter that he hadn't stuck up for N, and he, for one, should have understood why I couldn't say anything. "If you just tell Professor Oak what he wants to hear, then you can fly your way through the rest of schooling. You would get job offers immediately if you solved this thing. Just tell him what you know."

"I promised!"

Cheren looked ready to punch something, but I would bet that my urge to punch him was a lot stronger than his. "Who cares?" he shouted, and I curled my hands into fists.

"_What_?" I growled, stomping away to go sit on the bench. I couldn't look at any of them anymore.

"—you are _failing_." I could hear Professor Oak talking in the corner of the room, and I stared at Hilbert's grave expression. No… "I gave you this position because I expected the best out of you, and that is not what I am getting right now. If you don't get that information from Hilda, I will have to cut your time as assistant short."

Professor Oak turned and walked away, his shoes clicking on the tiled floor of the lobby. I stared at Hilbert for awhile, rising to my feet and reaching out to him as he walked past me. He didn't even look at me.

Because of me, he was about to lose everything he worked for. I was so stupid for thinking I could do this.

"We're leaving," Professor Oak announced, and we all gathered at the door. He turned and looked back at us, pointing at Hilbert and me. "Except for you two. I would rather not see those shabby clothes and the _hero _of Unova for the rest of today."

The group left, leaving Hilbert and I standing in the lobby of the police station wondering what to do. I sighed, rubbing my hand against my forehead. Hilbert walked over to the bench that I had just occupied and sat down, folding his hands together and looking stressed. I didn't know whether to follow him or not, but I knew I needed to apologize.

"Hilbert, I'm sorry—"

"I don't need you to be sorry; I need you to tell me what you know, Hilda!" Hilbert yelled, and I took a step back. This was the first time I had seen him truly angry with me, and I didn't know what to make of it. Somehow, seeing Hilbert angry at me made it even harder to keep this a secret. But a promise was a promise no matter who asked for it.

"I can't! I really can't—I promised that I wouldn't. That was how I got it in the first place, and for me to break that promise would be betraying N's trust. I'm not going to do that." I sat down on the bench next to Hilbert, careful not to touch him. "There are other ways to figure out who it is, you know. If we're going to be good professors, we need to look at all the sources, not just one."

"Yeah, but it would help!" Hilbert threw his hands up, clearly tired of my game. I didn't want it to be like this. "I'm not interested in you keeping your word because you think you're doing what's right. I'm more interested in getting N out of jail and putting the right man in jail."

"No, you're not! You're more interested in impressing Professor Oak."

Several of the officers were staring at us now, and I knew we should move this somewhere else. Our fight was no one else's business but our own, but it was too heated up now to move. I was angry at Hilbert for being so selfish, and he was angry at me for the same reason everyone else was angry with me. There was nothing I could do…

"He's my boss! He can make my career set in stone!"

"By breaking the trust of the man who needs it the most and forcing us to do the wrong thing? That's not what being a Pokémon Professor is about!" I shouted, and Hilbert's eyes widened. He didn't say anything for a minute, but instead just looked at me with a perplexed expression.

Finally, he sighed. "Well, when you say it like that…"

"Exactly," I agreed. "So, stop being a butthead and help me out, will you? I want to do this the right way."

Hilbert rolled his eyes. "Butthead?" he repeated, and I smiled. It didn't take long for him to smile right back at me. And just like that, it was over. He was on my side again. I knew he would understand—I knew his word meant something, too. He was an honorable guy, and he just needed to see that.

"Let's go," I said, standing up and holding out my hand. He grabbed it, and I pulled him to his feet.

"Why do you always have to be right?" he whined, and I laughed without saying anything back.

"Hey, I have an idea!" I announced as we sent out our flying-type Pokémon. "You want to impress Professor Oak without jeopardizing your integrity and your philosophy?" Hilbert nodded. "Then we're going shopping."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Er, so FFN was totally glitching up on me yesterday. I apologize if you got about a thousand e-mails saying the chapter was up, only to find out that it wasn't. And if you DID get a chance to read and review it, sorry for useless spamming. So... I don't know what the heck happened. Hopefully it's up for good now, haha.

Here is where this plot starts to stray a little from the plot of the musical/movie. It should be interesting. I struggled a bit trying to figure out how to turn the movie events into something applicable in the Pokémon world. I think it works out all right.

And N! Why is everyone from Unova here in Kanto, LOL? I set this fanfiction in Kanto because of the trainer's school and because of Professor Oak. I didn't think this would work the same with anyone but Oak. And I thought the other characters were good for their roles, too. So, Unova people have traveled, haha.

Also… super long chapter for the win! :D


	13. Take It Like A Man

**Chapter Thirteen – Take It Like a Man**

Hilbert spun around, his neck craned and his eyes wide as he glanced around the building. It had taken me awhile to find this place, but I eventually settled on asking someone for directions—and it was worth it. Hilbert was, while overwhelmed, perhaps, going to look so fine after today. In with the new and out with the old, as they said.

Hilbert finally dropped his gaze down to me, and I smiled. "Where are we?" he wondered, although I knew he was joking with me. Still, I didn't think he was joking about the awe in his tone and his facial expression; clearly, he hadn't been to one of these in either a really long time or at all. The latter wouldn't have shocked me. They didn't have places like these in the Nimbasa slums.

I stepped closer to him, running a hand along his old suit jacket and patting his shoulder. "A department store… isn't it beautiful?" Hilbert laughed, nodding more enthusiastically than he probably meant just to please me. It worked. "Listen, Hilbert, I love your scruffy look. But in order to be successful, you have to look the part! Elesa taught me that."

Hilbert pulled away from me, narrowing his eyes—albeit jokingly—and shoving a hand in his pocket. "Hilda, didn't your mother ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover?"

"Of course," I responded, and Hilbert nodded. "But _Elesa_ taught me that books with tattered covers tend not to be chosen for anything. I mean, think about it, would you rather choose the book with the pretty cover or the one that's falling apart? Not to say that you're falling apart—I'm just using that as an example—but I'm not saying to be mean either by discriminating based on appearances because you're a really nice guy—not that I'm saying that you're not good looking, Hilbert, because you are, but—"

"Hilda. Hilda, stop. I get it." Hilbert winked at me, and I sighed in relief. At least I didn't offend him with my incessant babbling. I really meant what I said, though; Hilbert _was_ cute, and he was pretty much the nicest guy in the world. But if he wanted to impress Professor Oak, then he needed to start dressing the part. He already acted it.

And after my mishap today, Hilbert deserved to get ahead. I owed him that much.

So, I linked my arm around his, staring into the abyss of the store in front of us. "Okay, well, let's do this thing, then. I don't know where everything is in this department store, but most of them are the same. The items for Pokémon are on the first couple of floors, and then the clothing, jewelry, perfume and cologne, and hair supplies for people are on the upper floors."

"Sounds frightening."

"Sounds _wonderful_," I corrected, and Hilbert laughed.

I kept my arm linked around his, leading him into the department store without much preparation—but he would be fine. Sure, it was all a bit overwhelming, but he would be fine. And just picturing him in a pressed suit with a new silk tie and polished leather loafers made me blush. Professor Oak wouldn't be able to deny that Hilbert was a professional now, and he would take back what he said about Hilbert being a failure.

The second we stepped into the world of people's clothing on the fourth floor of the Celadon Department Store, we were swarmed by salespeople. They led us to the men's section in the back of the store, eyeing Hilbert with curiosity as we made our way over. I never let go of his arm, partially out of fear that he would run away.

"Love?" one of the saleswomen asked, and both Hilbert and I glanced at each other. I couldn't miss the blush that crept onto his cheeks.

"Excuse me?" Hilbert asked, and the saleswoman held up a bottle of cologne. Hilbert relaxed a little, his arm becoming less stiff in mine. She sprayed the cologne on him, and he coughed once, shaking his head. "No… not that one."

I sniffed him, laughing. It smelled nice. "I like it," I told him.

"Then I'll take ten bottles," Hilbert joked, and the saleswoman narrowed her eyes and walked away. The swarm of salespeople dispersed, too, perhaps because they saw that he was in good hands with me, and it left just the two of us again. I liked it this way. "Hilda, are you sure about this? I can't afford any of this stuff."

"I've got it covered," I assured him, unlinking my arm from his now and gesturing to the expanse of clothes in front of us. "I'm going to find you some very snazzy clothes, you're going to try them on, and if they look good, I will buy them for you. You don't need to worry about it, okay? And don't feel guilty. After you helped me, I owe you."

Hilbert frowned, shaking his head. "Hilda…"

"No, Hilbert. I know you're scared—I was, too, when Elesa first brought me to a department store of this caliber. But I promise, it's so worth it. Just swallow your pride and do this for me, okay?" I smiled, waving a hand in front of my face and wafting cool air. "Don't you smell that? Something amazing is in the air!"

"Love?" Hilbert responded, and he quickly coughed. "Well, er, that's what the lady said the cologne was called."

I laughed, smacking his arm. "Well, yes, that, too, smart ass," I joked, and he lowered his gaze. "You are so wonderful, Hilbert, and I want you to become who you're supposed to be. You think you can't, but you can! You can be the part and look like it, too. I'm not judging the cover—I'm just giving a great book a great chance. So, _take_ that chance, and take it like a man!"

He laughed as I pulled him back over to the mass of salespeople. They found him a tie and suit, and we pushed him into the dressing room to try it on. He came out disappointed after a few, shaking his head at me as he wandered in and out of the room. I eventually settled with following him into the men's dressing room just to sit down, sitting in the little waiting area as he changed in one of the rooms.

"Men who wore this got beat up on my street," he told me as he stepped out in a suit with a multi-colored dress shirt beneath it. I laughed, though I had to admit that he was slowly getting the hang of this. And he was so good about not complaining as he tried things on. I hadn't been nearly so kind when Elesa first brought me to a nice department store.

"Well, don't worry, we'll find something you like," I assured Hilbert, and he nodded, walking back into his dressing room for another change. Sometimes he wouldn't come out to show me, sometimes he came out to show me as a joke, like with that last shirt, and sometimes he came out just to get my opinion on it. But either way, it was progress.

Man, I loved shopping for guys! It was so much easier than shopping for women. Sure, guys didn't necessarily appreciate the finer fabrics and the ability to just be anything you wanted to be based on the clothes you wore. But it was fun. I could watch Hilbert transform right in front of my eyes into something I already knew he was.

Not to mention that his confidence was slowing growing with each new suit he tried on. The salespeople wandered in and out of the dressing room, handing him new suits and taking the ones he had already tried on. And each time he stepped out of the dressing room to show me, he struck a little pose, laughing before retreating back into the changing area. I couldn't help but smile and feel so happy for him.

"Okay, this is actually nice," Hilbert announced from behind his closed door, and I squealed. Yes! I jumped to my feet, ready to see a transformation of which he finally approved.

And then he stepped out of the dressing room, and I was pretty sure I felt my heart stop beating out of pure awe.

"Wow," I muttered as he walked over to the mirror in the corner of the waiting area. I followed him, standing slightly behind him and staring at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was slightly tousled from trying on so many clothes, and his suit, perfectly pressed, couldn't have looked better on him. This was the one we were waiting for.

"I look like Cheren," Hilbert said as he, too, stared at his own reflection.

"Yeah…" I agreed with the stupidest smile on my face. I couldn't get over how _good_ he looked! This was absolutely perfect! Professor Oak would _have_ to be impressed by this makeover, and if he wasn't, then he didn't know commitment. Hilbert was no failure.

"But it's just me," he continued, and the smile vanished from my face.

I turned to him, pulling on his arm to make him face me. "Hilbert, that's the best part about it. The outside is new, but it finally reflects how good you are! And I definitely couldn't change that if I wanted to." I smiled, buttoning his suit jacket for him. "And I would never want to change that, Hilbert."

His cheeks grew ever redder, and he nodded, looking anywhere but at me. "Thank you."

"No, Hilbert, thank _you_," I said, and his gaze finally met mine. I straightened his tie, running my hands along the smooth silk. "I can never repay you for what you have done for me. You've been so kind to me—because of me, not because of who I am, and I cannot tell you how appreciative I am of that." I stepped back, giving one final look-over of his new suit. "We have to buy this. You look hot, Hilbert!"

He smiled, shaking his head and laughing now, perhaps because he couldn't blush anymore if he wanted to. And without another word, he disappeared back into his changing room, slipping out of his suit and throwing it over the edge of the door. I grabbed it and left to pay; I figured it was better that I do so without him around to argue against it.

When he found me, I handed him the bag with his new suit in it. He took it, holding it tentatively as though it might catch on fire or something. And then he nodded, his grip tightening around the handles of the bag, and I grinned. This was it—exactly it. The confidence I wanted to see in him was finally at its peak, and I couldn't be any happier for him.

This time, we both went in for a hug at the same time, and he wrapped his arms around my back just as I wrapped my around his neck. This said all the words neither of us could vocalize—how forever grateful I was, how happy he was that I brought him here, how we would continue helping each other because we both needed it. The list went on and on.

And I just loved hugs.

"I guess department stores are okay," he told me as we pulled away from each other, and I giggled. Of course they were! "But I can't make any promises on that cologne they sell. I think I'll just stick with the stuff I have from the cheap markets; it smells better."

"Oh, you don't want _Love_?" I joked.

Hilbert smiled, shaking his head. "Not that one." He turned on his heel, his head held high, and led the way out of the store. I didn't let my eyes drift away from him.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I wasn't going to post this so quickly, but I couldn't resist!

Aw, here's the problem with writing in first-person. I love it and all, and I specifically wanted it for this fanfiction, but perspective is so limited. There's this whole solo part in this song for Hilbert's character when he pretty much says, without directly saying it, that he has fallen for Hilda's character. It's so cute, and we miss that here. I worked with it the best I could.

I've become fonder of this song the more I listened to it while writing this chapter, haha. It makes me so happy. :3

And after such a long chapter last time, you get a short one this time around. Ah well!


	14. Bend and Snap

**Chapter Fourteen – Bend and Snap**

"You don't even know how much I needed that, Bianca." I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, sighing as the whole world lifted off my shoulders. "I have been so stressed trying to decide what I should do about this mess. Professor Oak and the other interns won't even look at me anymore. But, you know what… I feel good now. I just need to take things as they come!"

Bianca smiled, leading me back out to the main salon. "Well, that is the point of my dream eating sessions. My Musharna likes it, anyway," she added in a whisper, and I laughed. "But I'm glad you're feeling better. You're ready to take on the world now! And don't stress about N. If you think you should keep that promise, then keep it. Do what's right. You're someone he can trust!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, and that's more than what my team is doing. _This_ is why I stick to Pokémon, Bianca. My Pokémon team trusts me more than my people team does…" I sighed once more, waving a hand. "They don't understand that I'm not going to betray someone's trust just to get a head start. They've been all over me about it."

"Including your _friend_, Hilbert?"

I crossed my arms. If anyone had been supportive, it had been Hilbert. He hadn't brought up my decision to keep N's information a secret since we fought about it; since then, he had been the only one to stick up for me whenever anyone tried to get me to talk. Professor Oak wasn't pleased about it, but he didn't say anything—something I attributed to Hilbert's snazzy new look. That had gone over particularly well.

"Well, actually, he's the only one not all over me," I admitted, and Bianca frowned.

"Oh, that's too bad…" I raised my eyebrows in surprise as she said this, and she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. When she composed herself and stopped laughing, she lowered her hand and added, "Whoops, I didn't mean to say that out loud. I'm sorry, Hilda, but I've seen the way he looks at you!"

My cheeks began to burn, and I cried, "Bianca!"

But on the inside, though I was definitely embarrassed, I couldn't help but feel assured by this comment. My stomach did somersaults, and my heartbeat picked up speed. But if I admitted anything to myself, that meant getting my hopes up. I had already been hurt by love once, and I didn't plan on doing it again.

"We're just friends," I told her.

She grinned, elbowing me. "I could use a friend like that," she joked, and I shook my head. That was probably the last thing she needed, too. The two of us were similar that way—we had both been hurt, but we were both strong. Even during the tough times, we kept going. Bianca continued her successful business with her Musharna, and I got an internship with one of the most well-known Pokémon Professors of all time. We didn't need men.

She walked me out to the lobby, and we giggled and made small talk together. I had to admit, it was nice that she was here in Kanto, too. Hilbert was great and all, but sometimes I just needed to talk to a girl. There was nothing like sharing feelings with a woman who understood exactly how you felt, and that was something that just could not happen with a man. I didn't know what I would do without her.

There was a tall, handsome man standing in the lobby as we walked in, and Bianca froze in her tracks. He was dressed in a green uniform, a hat covering his dark brown hair, and he couldn't have been more than twenty-five. He held a large box under his arm, and as we approached, he smiled and nodded at us.

"I've got a package," the delivery man said, and Bianca and I exchanged a look. She swallowed as she turned her eyes back on the man. "For a Bia—"

"Here she is!" I exclaimed, pushing Bianca forward, since she clearly wasn't going to move otherwise. She stumbled forward, walking hesitantly towards the delivery man. Well, so much for my inner monologue on not needing a man. Bianca was all for this guy. I didn't exactly blame her, but that was another story.

The delivery man held the package out towards her, and when she didn't reach for it, he set it down on the floor and smiled. "How are you doing?" he asked, but she didn't say anything. After a minute, he pulled out a little machine and a stylus. "The name's Joey. I just moved here from Johto, and this is my first delivery route. You're my first delivery ever."

Bianca nodded, but she didn't take the stylus from Joey. I stepped forward, pushing her forward a little, but she still made no motion for the pen. She was completely love struck! I suppressed a giggle, took the stylus from Joey, and signed for her. I couldn't let this go on forever, after all. I needed to talk some sense into her.

"All righty, then. You have a nice day, ladies," Joey said with a wink. He pocketed the little machine, turned on his heel, and strutted right out of the salon. I could see exactly where Bianca's eyes were staring because I was staring, too. They obviously made those delivery uniforms like that for a reason… for girls like us.

Bianca turned around and gasped, as though she had been holding her breath the entire time Joey was in the room—which wouldn't come as a particular surprise to me, actually. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, she couldn't breathe… that was love at first sight. Or at least serious attraction. Either one would suffice.

Finally, she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She tried another time and failed again. By the third time, she finally found her voice. "Wow… that new delivery guy is in the top percentage of delivery men," Bianca managed to squeak, and I shook my head in disbelief. Unbelievable.

"So, talk to him, Bianca!" I exclaimed, and Bianca put her hands on her hips.

"Hilda, who are you kidding? I can't talk to guys like that!" She sighed, flopping down in one of the lobby chairs. I sat down beside her, touching her arm as she held her head in her hands. "I'm not like you. I'm shy, I'm boring, and I'm not very smart… I don't have anything to offer a… a gorgeous man like that."

She stood back up as soon as I opened my mouth to retort, and I settled on sighing instead. Well, if she was going to act like that, then—yes—she had nothing to offer him. But I knew Bianca! I knew the type of girl she was, and she had a lot to offer Joey the Delivery Guy. She just needed a shot of confidence, just like Hilbert.

Oh, I _so_ had this covered.

She bent down to pick up the package, cradling it in her arms as she snapped back up. I gasped, jumping to my feet and pointing at her. She stared at me, her eyes wide, and I squealed excitedly. I could tell she didn't know whether to squeal with me or send me back for another dream eating session. The latter was probably her first choice.

"Bianca—you have the most perfect bend and snap I have ever seen! You are a complete _natural_ at it!" I announced, and she continued to stare at me as though I had multiple heads. "Oh, come on, Bianca, you have to know the Bend and Snap. It's only the most vital weapon that we girls have in our arsenal against straight men."

"Bend… and snap?" she repeated, setting the package down on the counter. "Hilda, you're joking."

I shook my head. "Not at all. Watch this." I picked up a pen from the counter, tossed it on the ground, and gasped in fake surprise. "Oh no, I seem to have dropped my pen. Okay, so then, Bianca, all you have to do is bend..." I ran my hand along my leg as I bent down to pick up my pen, keeping my legs perfectly straight. Then, I grabbed my pen, bouncing back up. "And snap! It leaves men defenseless."

"Well, Hilda, that's easy for you to say… My track record with guys isn't exactly great, if you haven't noticed," Bianca hissed, and I put my hands on my hips. "Don't give me that look—you know it's true. I screw it up every chance I get. I'm lucky that Stoutland forgave me for that. You know I can't do this."

"Just try it," I said—not a plea but a demand.

She crossed her arms. "No."

"Bianca."

"Hilda."

"Try it."

She sighed, rolling her eyes and dropping her arms back to her sides. Then, sticking her tongue out at me, she bent down the same way I had, then shot back up with her hands on her hips. She shot me a look, clearly annoyed with me, but I just smiled; that was good. If Joey didn't like that, then he had to swing for the other team.

"Oh, girl, you're looking sexy," one of the other girls that worked at the salon said as she entered from the main salon. She waved at me, a familiar face in the last several months, before glancing at the package on the counter. "I'm going to guess… the new delivery guy started today, didn't he? He's fine?"

Bianca groaned, sticking out her lower lip. "More than fine…"

"Well, you can get him with that move." The salon girl winked, grabbing the package and returning to the main salon again.

"Wait… you think… well, maybe… maybe it might work," Bianca finally agreed, and I squealed and clapped. She could see reason! "I mean, if it doesn't involve talking, then how bad could it be? And if it gets his attention, then I'm bound to feel better about talking to him, right? Not to mention that the worst that could happen would be for him to reject me."

I nodded. "Exactly, in which case there are more guys out there waiting for you."

"Yeah, I—"

"Hello, ladies."

Bianca froze again, staring at Joey as he reentered the salon. He smiled that same dazzling smile, and for a minute I worried that Bianca might be lost to it once more. But she smiled back at him, although that was all she could manage. And once he strutted his way towards us again, I knew she was gone.

"Did I happen to leave my stylus here?" he asked, and I glanced around. Oh, crap. I had forgotten to hand it back to him after I signed for the package. And the pen that I had used for my bend and snap must have actually been his stylus… which meant that it had to be around here somewhere. Did I put it back on the counter?

Ah. There it was.

Now was the perfect opportunity for Bianca to utilize her new strategic weapon for getting Joey's attention. Grabbing the stylus as stealthily as I could, I handed the stylus to Bianca, whispering, "Do it," in her ear. She glanced back at me, holding the stylus in her hand before turning back to Joey and continuing to smile.

Then, as though it was the clumsiest thing in the world, she let the stylus fall from her hand. It hit the ground with several clicks as it bounced.

"Oh, I've got it," Joey said, just as Bianca began her bend. He leaned down, too, and I winced—because I knew exactly what was coming.

Well, it turned out that the worst that could happen was actually Bianca breaking Joey's nose.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Okay, if you don't know what movie/musical this is after this chapter, then I feel I can safely say that you have not seen it. Because everyone (and I mean everyone) who has seen it, even if they've only seen it once, knows what the bend and snap is. So, if you have no clue, then I will no longer argue that you have seen this movie. XD

Recognize Joey, anyone? ;) I'm sorry, I had to do it. It was literally perfect. He's in the top percentage of delivery men! My goodness, I'm so pathetic, ahahahaha.


	15. Team Plasma or Cosplayer

**Chapter Fifteen – Team Plasma or Cosplayer**

Each day Hilbert came in with a new outfit, the reaction was the same: Hilbert's new look went over fabulously with the rest of the team, but no one seemed more pleased than Hilbert himself. I was happy to verify that he looked exactly what he deserved to look like; as a guy with such a handsome personality, he deserved to have that reflected outside of him, too. And I was happy to say that he was equally as humble and kind like this, but his confidence had improved tenfold. It was amazing what a nice outfit could do—but I had to admit, either way, he was the greatest guy in the whole world.

"Wow, Hilbert, look at you. You've been looking dashing lately," Roxanne complimented—and I knew that this was a legitimate compliment based on her tone, and that alone impressed me—as the two of us arrived at our meeting spot in Cerulean. I noticed that Cheren wrapped his arm around Roxanne's waist as she said this, but Roxanne wouldn't dare.

"My goodness… Hilbert, did you get an entirely new wardrobe or something?" Professor Oak asked, and I beamed. His eyes were wide for a moment, and as he looked over Hilbert's transformed body, his expression changed from one of shock to one of approval. Hilbert was no longer the assistant in the shabby clothes but one who took his job seriously. I was just happy that this plan of mine was working; now all we needed to do was prove N's innocence without having to break my promise to him.

Hilbert's cheeks grew redder and redder with each word from our group, but he smiled and nodded. "Thank you. Hilda took me shopping," he said, and I put my hands on my hips in mock annoyance. This was supposed to be his moment, not mine! But, then again, I could use whatever help I could get to get in Professor Oak's good graces again. This was exactly why Hilbert and I made such a good team. We had each other's backs.

"Hilda," Roxanne said, and I feared for the worst. But she just smiled at me, nodding in approval. "Nice job."

I sighed in relief. I had to admit, even though everyone else had been giving me severe crap for refusing to break my promise with N, Roxanne had been surprisingly nice to me since she first bitched me out. I didn't know why—maybe because, now that she had officially won Cheren, she thought I was no longer a threat—but I had to admit that I liked it. It was a lot easier not having to worry about _that_ drama.

"In other news, there have been rumors circulating around the town about a man dressed in unusual garb. He has some sort of medieval tunic—"

"You're joking," I interrupted, and Professor Oak raised his eyebrows. I lowered my gaze in embarrassment, but I continued my interruption, anyway. "It's just that… that sounds an awful lot like Team Plasma's uniform. They had this crazy medieval thing going on—and I have to admit, it actually looked really comfy. It's not exactly what I would have picked out if I was going to try to take over the world, but I guess it—"

Cheren cleared his throat, rubbing his slightly-stubbly chin with his index finger and thumb. "That _does_ sound like Team Plasma," he agreed, and I nodded. But what were the odds? Had everyone in the world moved to Kanto? Was this the place to be or something? "How many people walk around wearing medieval tunics?"

That was a good point. I didn't know anyone other than Team Plasma members who dressed in that fashion. But, then again, I had been away from Elesa for a long time, and Kanto seemed to follow similar trends to Unova—without my friend here, I didn't have much help keeping up with the changing styles. Maybe "medieval" was the new punk or something.

"If it's true, then he'll have to know something about what's going down here with the Pokémon kidnappings," Hilbert conjectured, and Professor Oak hummed in agreement.

If the man _did_ know what was happening, then he would have to know that N had nothing to do with this whole mess. I needed to talk to him—to just get him to tell me that N was innocent—and then we would be one step closer to freeing N and finding out who was in charge of this messy ordeal. So, I started off towards the bridge to the north of the city; if the man was lingering around the city, then chances were his hiding spot would be nearby.

"Hilda, where are you going?" Hilbert called after me, and I paused to let him catch up. The rest of the group stood talking; maybe they hadn't even noticed that I left. Well, now was my chance to show them that I could still set N free without going against my morals. And I would do it my way, without making a fool out of myself.

I smiled as Hilbert and I fell into step together. Even if he was asking for an explanation, he wasn't really waiting for one. "To find him."

He didn't say anything—not, "it's dangerous to go alone" or "you might get hurt, so I don't want you going". He knew that I could handle it. But he stayed with me, anyway, because he also knew that we could handle it better together. I resisted the urge to take his hand, if only because I didn't want to come off as scared.

I noticed, after we were almost halfway across the bridge, the rest of our group had finally moved from their stationary positions and were now following Hilbert and me. But neither of us slowed down; we kept pace until we reached the end of the bridge, forced to face a fork in the road. I felt the rest of the group slow to a stop behind us as we tried to decide which way to go.

"Right," I decided, stepping forward with the confidence I was fairly certain I didn't actually have. But faking it would be good enough.

And then, off in the distance beneath the shade of a tree, I could see the man in the medieval tunic. It was definitely the same colors—white, blue, navy—but there was just something about seeing him dressed up like Team Plasma that didn't make any sense to me. Team Plasma members did things in groups… I could never really recall a time when any of them went at something alone—save for N, but even he had the Shadow Triad to call upon if necessary.

"Excellent job, Hilda! You found him! That is definitely your intuition at work, and I'm glad to see it," Professor Oak exclaimed, and I smiled despite my confusion at the situation. Something didn't smell right. "We just need to question him now. There's no evidence against this man, so the police haven't been able to do anything. But we're Pokémon Professors—we have every right to ask him a few questions."

"We do?" I asked.

Professor Oak shrugged. "Well, let's just say that no one is going to say that I can't."

He smiled, stepping forward to take a shot at cracking this guy. But the second the man looked up from his hiding spot, he jumped to his feet; I expected him to run off, as any suspicious character might, but instead, he walked _towards_ us. No one else seemed as concerned about this as I did, but when I shot Hilbert a look, he nodded—he got it, too.

"Well, isn't this a sight?" the man said as we got closer—and I quickly discovered what was wrong about that outfit of his. Sure, it was the right color scheme, but it didn't have the Team Plasma symbol on the front. And without that, it wasn't right at all. This guaranteed, and I was one-hundred percent positive on this, that he was not a member of Team Plasma at all. But that also made me more confused as to why he was wearing medieval clothing at all. "The famous heroine of Unova. The girl who went up against Team Plasma."

All eyes turned to me now, and I froze. He knew me—this man knew me. And not only did he know me, but he knew what I did. Maybe he was part of Team Plasma after all. But that still didn't explain what they were doing in Kanto if it was true. Sure, N was here, but he fled Unova; he wouldn't go where Team Plasma was.

Unless Team Plasma followed him.

Hilbert stepped in front of me, crossing his arms and looking the man up and down. "Sir, we are from the Pokémon Academy in Viridian City. This is Professor Samuel Oak, I am his assistant, and these are his interns," he said, his tone polite despite his hostile pose. "We wanted to ask you a few questions about the Pokémon kidnappings in Cerulean."

"Oh, I can tell you all about that. But I think this one here might know the answer already," the man hissed, pointing a finger at Hilbert—although we all knew it was directed at me. The more this man spoke, the more I disliked him and the more uncomfortable I felt. It was situations like this that I wished Pokémon Professors could just whip out a Poké Ball and battle our ways out of these situations.

"What do you mean by that?" Hilbert demanded, his polite tone vanishing. I almost thought Professor Oak might jump in to keep Hilbert from losing his cool, but the older man didn't even flinch.

The man laughed. "Well, she's familiar with Team Plasma's antics, isn't she? Our goals? She should know what that means: N."

Cheren, Roxanne, and the third intern all began to murmur behind me, and I whipped my head around to shoot them a dark look. This man had no idea what he was talking about. I knew what he was insinuating. But nothing had ever been N's fault, so I didn't know why he would assume that I would think so now. And why would he sell out N, anyway?

I just needed a minute to think this through…

I slipped away from the group, and as I walked a few yards away, pacing back and forth, I could hear the man laughing. A few moments passed, and Hilbert made his way over to me. I didn't say anything, nor did I cease my pacing. Instead, I focused on the man—the way he looked, the things he said… There was no way this man was actually part of Team Plasma, meaning that he actually had nothing on N. There had to be something that proved he was setting N up.

Then again, I didn't think this was the man who sold N out in the first place; the person who did had to be smart enough to be inconspicuous. Wearing medieval tunics and playing dress-up wasn't the first thing I'd do. And why would a Team Plasma member—assuming this man was one—sell out a former leader? That didn't make any sense.

He just wanted attention, and he wanted Team Plasma to take the blame. This had to mean two things: first, he wasn't a member of Team Plasma at all, and, second, he knew the person who framed N and started these kidnappings. It was easy to pin the situation off on a group well-known for their deviance—especially deviance of this nature—and even easier to blame the old king.

"He's lying," I said finally, but Hilbert didn't say anything. I didn't know what I expected him to say—maybe I hoped he would agree with me, but, admittedly, things didn't look too great. "Look, look, look… you see that outfit he's wearing? I _know_ Team Plasma's uniform, and that is _not_ it. I don't know what kind of cosplay he's into, but he's not Team Plasma."

Hilbert sighed, shaking his head. "Hold on, we need to talk to Oak."

"In the middle of questioning?"

He ignored me. Pulling Professor Oak aside, Hilbert forced Cheren to take over the questioning. Cheren looked neither pleased nor prepared, and he stammered several times before managing to spit something out—almost literally. Had Professor Oak not been waiting for me to tell him what I thought, I probably would've laughed.

"Okay, Professor Oak, this guy's a liar," I whispered, stifling the urge to point angrily at the man. "But he's right about one thing: I _am_ familiar with Team Plasma's antics, and I do know what that means—this guy is _not_ from Team Plasma, and N has nothing to do with this. I mean—just look at him. Totally Cosplayer, not Team Plasma."

"He knows you, though."

"Well, honestly, who doesn't?" I snapped, and Professor Oak raised his eyebrows. I cleared my throat, lowering my gaze to avoid his now.

"People know you, but they don't know _you_," Professor Oak pointed out, and I glanced at Hilbert. I wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that. "I would say that the majority of our population knows of the hero of Unova, but if they were to see you walking down the street or heard your name brought up in conversation, they wouldn't have the slightest clue as to who you were."

Oh. Like Roxanne… she hadn't known when she first met me—but she had definitely heard of the hero of Unova. So, that was a good point—this guy knew just by looking at me that I was the hero of Unova.

Damn it.

But wait!

"Hold on. That's true if you're not from Unova—but _everyone_ in Unova knows who I am, although I admit I would prefer this not to be the case." I pondered this for a moment. "So, this man could very well be from Unova, but that doesn't mean he's part of Team Plasma. He's just the perfect hire for someone to frame N."

"Good point. But how do we prove that?" Professor Oak asked, and I bit my lip. I was stuck there. There had to be something specific we could ask that could out this man for what he was: a liar. But I didn't know what that could be. It had to be something that only Team Plasma members would know…

Or maybe not even something only they would know—but something they would _definitely_ know.

"Give me a chance," I said, stepping forward without Oak's approval. I clear my throat, pushing Cheren out of the way mid-stammer. "Excuse me, sir, I have a question for you."

"This should be good…" the man joked, and I narrowed my eyes.

"Name the seven sages."

The man laughed, crossing his arms. "That's not a quest—"

"_Name the seven sages_."

The man finally shut his mouth, and he no longer looked so amused. He swallowed, dropping his arms from their crossed position. This was answer enough for me. The Seven Sages, well-known though they were what they had done, were members of Team Plasma that every other member would know. And if he hesitated even a second, then he didn't know. And he wasn't Team Plasma.

"Ghetsis, Gorm, Bronius, Rood, Zinzolin, Giallo, and Ryoku," I listed, counting on my fingers. The man stared at me now with wide eyes. "You're not from Team Plasma."

"You didn't give me enough time to answer—I knew all of them—"

"No, you didn't," Hilbert said, and the man pursed his lips again. "You didn't have a clue."

"And since you didn't have a clue, it can safely be assumed that you have been lying to us—and to everyone else," I continued, a tiny smile on my lips now. Yes! This felt awesome. It sent even more adrenaline into my system than battling did! "So, tell us: what do you know? N isn't responsible for this at all, is he?"

The man's eyes dashed from Professor Oak to me to Hilbert. But after a moment, he narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms again. "I don't know about that. But another person told me that he would reward me for dressing up like this and waiting for you to show up. He wanted me to make you believe that N was guilty. And, hey, he paid me handsomely, so I don't complain. I still have the money."

"That's bribery. The police will have to confiscate that money," Professor Oak corrected cheerfully, and the man's jaw dropped. "Now, if you could kindly tell us where you met this man and what he looked like."

"Well, why should I tell you now?" the man demanded, and I pulled a Poké Ball out of my bag. If he was planning on running, he'd better run fast. "Er, well, okay. I didn't know what he looked like, but I met him just west of the city near that mountain. I heard there were rare stones there, so I went looking and found him instead."

"Wonderful." Professor Oak continued to smile. "If we're all done here, then we need to go down to the police station. I believe they would love to open up a room for you there."

The man didn't come very peacefully, but he came along, all the same. Unfortunately, nightfall was nearly upon us by the time we finished up there. We would have to wait until later to go check the mountain, but at least we got somewhere. At least I could help N a little bit more by not finding him guilty. But so long as I knew he was innocent, I would keep fighting for him.

"Hey," Hilbert whispered as Professor Oak chatted with the police. "Good job. Sorry if it seemed like I wasn't helping you, but I knew you could figure it out. You were thinking like a real professor. I'm proud of you."

He was proud of me… but he needn't be. Without him, I never would have gotten this far.

"Thank you, Hilbert," I whispered back.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This chapter was completely difficult to work with. The song on which this is based is absolutely hilarious, and I couldn't do anything with it since it kind of has nothing to do with anything in this fic. So, I did what I could—this chapter isn't funny, but I think it encompasses the same major point that the song makes about Hilda's character.

Next chapter—I am so excited! It's based on my favorite song!


	16. Rightfully Yours

**Chapter Sixteen – Rightfully Yours**

"To Hilda," Hilbert said, holding up a glass of champagne as we all sat in Professor Oak's office. I blushed as everyone, save for Cheren, held up their drinks in my honor. For whatever reason, Cheren's refusal to conform made me feel even better about this. "Without whom we would not know the information we found out today."

"Wait, I'm sorry." Cheren finally held up his glass—though in objection rather than honor or to drink from. He laughed dryly to himself, but no one else seemed to get the joke. "But the only reason she got that information was because of who she is. That information would never be accessible to anyone other than her, so I don't think it's right to say that this victory belongs to her. If it had been anyone else in her same position, they'd know, too."

Ouch.

"I disagree," Professor Oak said, and Cheren frowned. "She led the way—she took initiative. She found the man, questioned him, and used her prerequisite knowledge to retrieve the information she needed from the man. She obeyed her instincts and intuition to prove that the man was a liar. So, no, Cheren. Not everyone would know."

Cheren's expression darkened, his brow furrowing. He hadn't expected Professor Oak to stick up for me—he hadn't expected anyone to stick up for me. And to think there had once been a time where I would have bet everything to say that Cheren would've done the same; where were we now? What had changed with time?

"While we would still love to hear what N told her," Professor Oak continued, and I shifted my gaze from Cheren to the older man, "by refusing to share that secret, she has kept the trust of a fellow Pokémon Trainer. That makes her a great Pokémon Professor." He smiled at me, nodding, and I held my breath. _Yes_. "This is more than I can say for you, Cheren. Be useful and go get me a coffee."

Now my ex-boyfriend's eyes widened, and he held up his glass in disbelief. "But we're drinking champagne—"

"One cream, two sugars," Professor Oak concluded, waving Cheren off.

Cheren stood in utter shock for a few seconds after Oak turned his back on the boy; after a moment, he shook his head, shot me a dark look, and then vanished out the doors of Oak's office without any further objections. I knew I should probably feel sorry for him, seeing as he was my friend, but there was no pit in my stomach—I felt nothing.

This was _my_ moment, and it wasn't selfish of me to revel in it. I deserved my chance just like everyone else—and the difference was, I cared about my friends. Sure, maybe if someone else had been the hero of Unova, they would've had an idea. But it would have been different. I wanted to see N innocent. I wanted—no, I _needed_—to prove that. No one else, save for maybe Hilbert, understood my feelings about that.

"As for the rest of you," Professor Oak started again, and the four of us who still remained stood up taller. "Finish your champagne and be off. I need you all to be prepared to head back to Cerulean tomorrow to find the man who started all of this. Mt. Moon is a rigorous hike, so you have to be well-rested."

Everyone downed the rest of their champagne in one swallow, and I set my glass down on Oak's desk. Elbowing Hilbert as he leaned against me, we started towards the door together. However, Professor Oak called me back—the only one out of everyone—and the two of us stopped. Hilbert smiled, patting me on the back and promising to wait for me outside to walk me back to my room.

When Professor Oak and I were left alone, the door slightly ajar, he walked behind his desk and took a seat behind it. "Thank you for sticking up for me, sir." I smiled, sitting in the chair opposite his. I had never particularly liked Professor Oak—maybe it was his attitude—but in this moment, I felt like I was talking to my grandfather. He had been so supportive today, if only because I had managed to do something right. But it made me feel like I belonged. "I really appreciate this opportunity. I have learned so much."

"Well, I'm happy to hear that," Professor Oak folded his hands, leaning them against his desk. "Although, what you've learned isn't the point. You have something that can't be taught in a classroom, and that's something that is very rare. People attend this school from all over the world, and you were selected for a very important reason."

My reason? I always wanted to know what separated me from the rest of the crowd, although, if I had the opportunity to find out what that reason was, I didn't think I would want to know anymore. Now that I had been here, now that I was who I was, it didn't matter what I had done. The reason didn't make one bit of difference anymore.

"You know, Hilda," Professor Oak continued. "I'm glad I hired you for this internship. It worked out perfectly that the hero of Unova could be on my team. But Cheren _was_ right, you know. Although you did follow your guts, you could see through that man's lies because you are the hero of Unova. No other person would ever know what you do."

Wait. What?

"Excuse me? I thought you just said that I had done it because of my intuition and instincts," I said, praying that I had misheard him just now. He _had_ stuck up for me when Cheren tried to take a swing at me. How could he shoot that down now? Was it all just one big lie? Or was he trying to help me save face?

"Well, you don't seriously believe that you deserve to be here because of your brains, do you?" Professor Oak questioned, and my heart sunk. "I hired you because of what you've done. There are people far more capable than you, but you're the only heroine of Unova. There's no one else who could do what you just did. Not to mention, we could get excellent publicity for the other interns—all of whom deserve to be here based on their academic commitment."

"So, the only reason I'm here is because I'm famous…" I corrected. The fact that Professor Oak did not immediately dispute my statement told me that I was right—I didn't deserve to be here. No, that was wrong. My _mind_ didn't deserve to be here. All this time I thought I had done something right, but I hadn't.

"Hilda, you are one of my weakest students. Sure, you've been improving, but that means nothing in the real world. You have to do it right, and you have to do it right the first time. I hired you for this internship because this is the real world—I need this done right. Any other situation, and I would never have hired you in a million years." Professor Oak unfolded his hands as I jumped up from my seat, by breath uneven. "Your intentions of being a Pokémon Professor are honorable, but I have to admit that you would never succeed."

I didn't know why I did it—maybe because I was angry, maybe because I was disappointed, maybe because he deserved it. But I threw my hand forward, slapping the professor across the face with all my might. His cheek immediately brightened a pink color, and I could feel the sting the slap left behind on my hand.

And I didn't feel any better.

"Get out," Professor Oak said dryly—he didn't sound angry, but it was this monotonous tone that scared me even more. "Don't come to Cerulean anymore. I have the information I need."

I stood in disbelief for a moment, similarly to how Cheren reacted when Professor Oak asked for his coffee. But after that moment passed and Professor Oak's face darkened, I let my lip tremble and turned on my heel. I didn't want to stay there any longer. I didn't want to look at my former boss anymore.

I walked out of the room, my heels clicking on the wooden floors. I stopped only when I saw Cheren and Roxanne standing in front of the exit of the building. Cheren looked angrier than I had ever seen him, but Roxanne stared at me with wide eyes; her expression wasn't nearly as cruel as Cheren's, and the change scared me.

"Well, well. What did I tell you? You don't deserve to be here, after all. The only reason you got in was because of _who_ you are. I guess I can never compete with that, can I? No one can. So, don't worry about trying to prove yourself—you've already shown that you don't even need to fight for it. You can just be a teacher's pet," Cheren snapped, his arms crossed. "Looks like you'll be a great Pokémon Professor. You really _earned _it."

I let my jaw hang loosely while Cheren spoke, holding my hand over my eyes and turning away to shield myself from him. I didn't want him to see me cry—not anymore. There was a time for tears: during sad movies, when Cheren broke up with me, when I was PMSing. But this wasn't it. I wouldn't let Cheren see me cry.

"Cheren," Roxanne's voice called out in a stern, pitying voice. "Shut up."

I heard loafers click as Cheren walked away, and I lowered my hand, turning back around to face Roxanne. She didn't say anything else; she continued to stare at me with those wide eyes, her expression still so unexpectedly stoic. She seemed to take no pleasure from my pitiful sight. But she, too, shook her head and walked away after Cheren.

I stayed where I was, watching as the doors clicked shut again. Then, after I knew it was safe, I pushed the doors open.

Well, this was it. Everything that I worked for was for naught. Not only did I fail to win back the man I came here for, but I failed to prove myself, too. I came here expecting to win—because that was all I ever knew—and I had lost _everything_. My boy, my reputation, my dignity. I never even deserved to be here.

I would go back to my room, pack up everything I brought here with me—throw out the things that reminded me of this place. I would return all of my books, clear out everything in my room, and return my keys to the school. I would leave with whatever I had left of my dignity, though that wasn't much. Maybe I could rebuild it at home.

Sweet home… that was the only place I could go now—back to Unova, back to where everyone knew me and liked me and thought I was great. But there, too, they only liked me because of who I was. Where else could I go? I had failed at being new once, and I didn't want to fail again. I just needed to go home.

Besides, Elesa and Skyla were my real friends. They were honest with me all along; they said I would fail, that this would never work, and I had disagreed with them. I could always chalk it all up to experience—say that it was something I needed to do, like a mid-life crisis too early in life. Who would have known where this would have ended?

Well, now I knew exactly where.

But I would return back to the world I knew, the world where I was comfortable living—the place I never should have left in the first place. I would return to the girl I used to be: the girl who sucked at making clothes, the girl who was only good at Pokémon battles and just about nothing else. I would laugh with my friends when I got back, joke about how big an idiot I was for even applying here. It would be great fun.

That was fine with me. I would just go back to being the only person I could ever be: the Hero of Unova. There was just no way I could stay here anymore, not when I had nothing left to stay for.

"Hey, there's the intern of the year!"

_Hilbert_.

By this time, the tears flowed like little streams from my eyes, dripping down along my jaw line and falling off my chin and onto my chest. I wiped my eyes as Hilbert approached me, waiting for me just like he promised—just like he always kept his promises. I couldn't let him see me cry, either. I owed him that much.

"Thanks for your help this year, Hilbert—and for everything you've done for me," I said, my voice weak and cracking. If the puffiness of my eyes didn't give away the fact that I had been crying—and I was counting on the darkness to hide that—then my voice definitely did. The smile that he wore vanished from his face the second I opened my mouth. "Thank you for treating me like a normal person."

He ran a hand along my arm, furrowing his eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"Maybe someday you can visit me back in Nuvema Town—just give me a call… maybe to say hello or something. Or I can visit you when you get that big house you wanted for your mother. But I _would_ like to see you again… someday," I finished, pulling away from his grip and beginning to walk away.

I didn't make it very far; he pulled me back, spinning me around to face him again. "Wait," Hilbert said, and this time I couldn't stop the tears, couldn't brush them away. "Where are you going?"

I tugged myself away again, continuing my walk down the stone path back to my building. Hilbert ran to catch up with me, but it was clear that I wasn't going to be stopped. He let me walk, so long as I let him walk beside me, but he was silently demanding an explanation. But I didn't want to tell him that I failed.

"Sorry I'm letting down everyone—or just you, I guess," I finally apologized, avoiding his gaze. "But you did your best with a hopeless case—"

"That's crazy, Hilda!"

I finally stopped, holding his arms and squeezing my eyes shut. "You are the best thing about this place."

When I heard the same words come out of his mouth on top of my own, I opened my eyes back up, staring at him in disbelief. I let my bottom lip tremble again, the tears dripping from my eyes without even needing to blink. I dropped my hands from his arms, taking a couple of steps back and shaking my head.

"Hilda, you should know—"

"Professor Oak fired me."

It was like the world stopped. Everything froze in time; the Kricketunes stopped singing, the Murkrows stopped cackling. Even Hilbert and I stood still, neither of us breathing, the tears stuck on my cheeks. It was like everything would last in this one moment. Part of me wanted it to. Another part didn't.

"He _what_?" Hilbert finally demanded, and time started again. He looked confused, of course, but why wouldn't he be? He never expected me to fail. He was the only person to ever believe in me. He thought I could do it, and I let him down. So, of course he would be confused by my failure. And I would never blame him.

"He told me that the only reason that he hired me was because I'm the hero of Unova and that I'm too dumb to be a professor. That I would never succeed. He made it very clear that I don't belong here," I said, and I started off again. Now that I admitted that I failed, exactly how I failed, I couldn't look at him anymore.

I made it all the way up to my room, sprinting up the stairs. But Hilbert took them two at a time, catching me by my wrist at the top of the stairs, just before my door. "Wait, Hilda, wait!" Hilbert cried, running in front of me and blocking me from entering my room. "He's wrong. You're the smartest girl I've ever met, and you deserve to be here more than anyone else I know!"

"Hilbert, please," I said, reaching a hand up to his face and brushing his cheek with my thumb. I let more tears fall from the corners of my eyes. "There's no reason for me to stay."

I pushed past him, opening the door to my room, slamming it shut, and locking it. He knocked several times, whispering my name against the wood, and then after a few minutes, he stopped. I thought he left, hoped that he would, even, but I was wrong. No, he was trying to find a way in—into my head, into my room, it didn't matter.

"What about love?" he finally called, his voice muffled against the wood. But I heard him loud and clear, and my heart stopped. I dropped the shirt I was holding into my suitcase, walking back towards my door and holding a hand up against it—as if I could feel him there on the other side. "I never mentioned love. I know this probably isn't the best time, and I wanted to wait to tell you—but if it means you'll stay… You belong here, Hilda. With me…"

I covered my mouth with my hands, leaning back against the door and sliding to the floor. I cried into my hands, weeping for everything I lost—including Hilbert… mostly Hilbert. There was nothing I could do now. I… I loved him, too—I did. But I didn't belong here. I didn't belong here with him. He deserved someone better than me.

So, I would go back home to where he wouldn't want me.

"Please, Hilda, open the door!"

I should have never left home; whatever dreams I had were crushed, anyway. I had everything I wanted there, except maybe love, but I couldn't have it here, either. Not anymore. Some girls got what they wanted—girls like Roxanne, smart and pretty and successful—whether by fighting for it or just using their minds.

"We both know you're worth so much more than what Professor Oak played you out to be."

Other girls like me were only good at one thing.

"If you can hear me, Hilda…" Hilbert's tone had changed. It was—although still pleading, still begging, still desperate—softer, as though keeping this tone would make me feel any better. It just made me feel worse, and I continued to sob into my hands. "Can I just say that I _want_ you to stay? For me?"

"It's not up to me," I said back, but I didn't expect him to hear me.

"I _need_ you to stay…"

I pushed myself to my feet, wiping my eyes and walking back over to my suitcase. I sat beside it, staring at the door, not knowing what to expect. Hilbert banged on it a few times every couple of minutes, a reminder that someone cared. But I didn't want that reminder. I didn't want him to care. Because that meant losing something else.

He stood calling outside my door for a couple of hours. But even he gave up eventually.

Even he could recognize a hopeless case.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This is my favorite song from the musical (it's the latter half of this chapter). It's SO sad. I kept a lot of the lines from the song because they're so beautiful and touching and heartbreaking. Most of the lines I kept were Hilbert's character's parts.

In the movie/musical, Professor Oak's character kisses Hilda's character. I didn't want to make Professor Oak such a sleazy person because I don't think that's his character at all. I thought that giving Hilda false hope was equally as cruel, if not more so. He made her think she deserved to be there, and then told her—to her face—that she didn't. That's harsh.

You may not have noticed, but the sentences in the latter half of this chapter are very choppy. I tried to write with a sense of desperateness this time around. She's upset, betrayed, and hurt. I thought the choppiness might add to that.


	17. Rightfully Yours Revisited

**Chapter Seventeen – Rightfully Yours Revisited**

When I arrived at Bianca's salon, she was in the salon area with Joey and her Stoutland, too busy laughing and giggling with him to even notice that I walked in. I almost wanted to turn around and leave without saying goodbye, to let her keep her moment of happiness for however long she needed to without worrying about me, but I couldn't do that to her. She would want to know that I was leaving.

So, I stepped forward, wrapping my coat more snugly around myself and stopping in front of the couple. Joey stood up from his squatting position beside Stoutland, nodding and smiling at me. Despite his broken nose, he was still a looker. The swelling had gone down, and his eyes were no longer black but a light yellow color. I was just happy to see that he was still communicating with Bianca after the incident.

"Hello," Joey greeted, tipping his baseball cap at me. Then, looking back down at Bianca—and I couldn't miss the way he looked at her, with a certain softness in his gaze that was unmistakably affection—he winked at her the best he could. "Bianca, I'll… see you later. Stoutland," he added, addressing the Pokémon, "be good."

Bianca laughed, rising to her feet beside Joey and watching with that same soft gleam in her eyes as he strolled out the doors of the salon. She sighed, walking towards me and completely missing my somber expression—but I was okay with that, thankful even. She threw an arm around my shoulders, shaking her head so slightly.

"He's so perfect, Hilda. I think this must be too good to be true or something," Bianca told me, and I frowned. I didn't want to tell her that it probably was, that good things didn't happen. But, no, that was only applicable for girls like me. Lots of good things had happened to Bianca—and after the bad things, she deserved another chance. I was happy for her. "Who knew that breaking his nose would actually bring us together?"

I smiled weakly, worried that if I opened my mouth to say anything, I would end up hurting Bianca's feelings. But when I said nothing, just stood there letting Bianca keep her arm wrapped around my shoulders, Bianca finally pulled away. She put her hands on her hips, tilting her head slightly to the side as she looked me up and down.

"You need a dream eating session?" she asked tentatively.

"No, no…" I waved her off, taking a step towards my best friend—perhaps my only friend after this whole debacle—and embracing her. I wanted to hold on to her, to keep her close to me. But I was leaving. She deserved to be here; she deserved everything she worked so hard to achieve. I didn't work hard for anything, so I didn't deserve to be here. "I just came to say goodbye. I'm going back home."

Bianca pushed me away from her—not forcefully, but with enough strength to sit me down in one of the manicure table chairs. "You're going back to Unova? But why?"

"I need to go where I make sense again," I said as Bianca pulled her own seat right up next to me, rubbing my back with one of her perfectly manicured hands. I bit my lip, afraid that the tears might start spilling again. And when I thought of those tears, I thought about Hilbert, and I didn't want to think about him—which only made me want to cry more.

"Hilda, you're not making any sense _now_. What happened?" Bianca demanded in a desperate voice, pleading with me to tell her. I had lost Hilbert's respect, I was sure. I didn't want to lose hers, too, even if I deserved that, too. There were several things I deserved in life and even more things that I didn't. But, clearly, having respect wasn't one of them. I could only hold onto Bianca's for so long before that needed to go away, too.

So, I shook my head, clenching my fists as Bianca continued to rub my back. "It's just… all of this time, I thought I was proving myself to everyone. I studied so hard, caught up on all of my schoolwork. And I wanted to make a difference—for N, for the world. But it turns out I'm just one big joke, and that's all anyone is ever going to see."

"That's not what I see," a third voice interjected, and I furrowed my eyebrows. Why did that voice sound so familiar to me?

And then I saw her, out of the corner of my eye in one of the salon mirrors. Roxanne lifted a dryer from her head, standing up from beneath it and walking towards me. I jumped up, pointing at the girl and failing to say anything. When Roxanne put her hands on her hips and smiled at me, I just about fainted.

What was going on here?

"Roxanne?" I muttered.

"You just need a little back up," she said with a wink, and I almost smiled. Oh yeah… that time she singled me out in Professor Oak's class, I told her that I needed back up. Well, maybe it was better late than never. "Maybe Cheren saw the hero from Unova who didn't need to work to get what she wants, but that's not what I see. I saw how you improved this year—I heard the things you said. And I respect you for keeping N's trust. You deserve to be here as much as I do."

But… what? I thought Roxanne hated me. Sure, she had been a little friendlier the past couple of weeks, but I thought that was only because she officially won Cheren—she didn't _need_ to fight me for him anymore. Yet here she stood, sticking up for me and taking her own swing at Cheren. Had the world gone mad overnight?

Roxanne nodded, reading my perplexed expression and dropping her hands from her hips. "I used to pray for the day you'd leave," she said, and admittedly, that was definitely the only thing I had ever gotten from her. "I didn't think you belonged here, and I wanted you gone. But when I'm wrong, then I say I'm wrong—and, Hilda, I was wrong. You deserve to be here more than anyone else, including me."

I felt the tears bubble around my eyelids again, but this wasn't necessarily from sadness or heartbreak. Hearing those words from Roxanne—someone who I always thought hated me so much and wanted to see me leave—made me feel something I was convinced I wouldn't feel again: hope. Because if I had convinced her, maybe there was a chance. I already knew Hilbert believed in me—but to make Roxanne believe in me? That meant something.

"Listen up," Roxanne snapped, pointing a finger at me, reverting back to her bitchy attitude. "I don't see an end to what you can do—but that's only if you don't run away like a coward. I _know_ you're not a coward, Hilda. So, you need to buck up. You proved it to me, so show everyone else that you can do this! You're my new muse, Hilda. You're the one whose expectations I'm trying to live up to. And it's just one big battle… you never lose those. Go show them—"

"Sorry, Roxanne," I interrupted, and Roxanne's eyes widened. "I don't battle anymore."

"Hilda!" Bianca exclaimed, standing up. Everyone in the salon was staring now, but they all wore the same, disappointed expression. I was fairly used to this by now—and maybe it hurt so badly because I was used to getting what I wanted. "Honey, listen to me: you can't just give up on something when there are so many people counting on you! What about N?"

I nodded, and both Roxanne and Bianca furrowed their eyebrows. "I know. I said I don't battle anymore—but I didn't say anything about being a professor," I said, and Roxanne exchanged a look with Bianca. Then, after realizing what I meant, the two of them smiled. Roxanne even laughed, something I wasn't sure I had ever heard from her.

I would get back in this game, but this was something I would need to do my way. When I got to Cerulean, I would take control of this situation and help N without Professor Oak's stupid thoughts lingering in the back of my mind. Because when he attacked me with his words, it hurt. And now he needed to see my response.

Except there was one thing stopping me.

"I'm not allowed to join Professor Oak's group—he fired me," I said, and Bianca snapped her fingers.

Roxanne, on the other hand, just winked at me. "I know. Luckily for you, I had an idea, and it's all ready to go."

* * *

><p>When we arrived in Cerulean, I wasn't sure what to expect from Roxanne. I was positive that whatever plan she cooked up would be a good one—it seemed she never did anything half-assed. But I admitted myself disappointed when the first person I saw upon entering the police station was Professor Oak. I convinced myself I never wanted to see him again, and here I was, less than twenty-four hours later, right back where we started.<p>

"I'm sorry, Hilda, but I cannot allow you to be here anymore. You don't work on my team," Professor Oak said when he saw me. Cheren stood behind him, his eyes darting between Roxanne and me. I couldn't blame him for being confused—his ex-girlfriend and his fiancée teaming up? It did seem a bit peculiar.

"She's here for me," another voice said, and I smiled when I saw N—albeit still clad in his prison jumpsuit—standing in the doorway to the cells. Two policemen held his arms, and handcuffs dangled around his wrists. Still, I had never been happier to see him.

Even if I did have no clue what Roxanne's plan was.

The good thing was, neither did Professor Oak. "Here for you?" he repeated, crossing his arms and looking back at me. "She's been fired. She's not allowed to be here, never mind stick her nose into business that no longer concerns her. This is a job for a Pokémon Professor and his interns, neither of which she is—anymore."

"And that's where you're wrong, Professor," yet another voice—this one so pleasing to my ears—commented. Hilbert entered the police station, holding a large book in his arms. "She is still a student of the Pokémon Academy and of the Pokémon Professor Training Program. As long as this is the case, she can still investigate this situation."

Perhaps I should have been ashamed to look at him, or perhaps I should have been embarrassed to see him after what happened the previous night. He had, after all, professed his love for me, and I completely disregarded it. But that wasn't right—I didn't disregard it. I used it as my reasoning to leave. Maybe that was worse.

But I didn't care. Hilbert was here to save my butt again. I owed him everything in the world—and Roxanne. She set this whole thing up for me! She must have talked to Hilbert; in fact, she probably heard from Hilbert what I said in the first place, and that was how she knew I was planning on leaving. Wow… I really owed them.

Professor Oak's lip twitched, and after a moment, he smiled. "Yes, but only if she has a supervisor with a license to observe her, and I will not."

"But I will," Hilbert said, and Professor Oak raised his eyebrows. "I finished the Training Program—I have a license. I may not be done my schooling, but I can, according to this law, observe her and be her supervisor. So, Professor Oak, she has every right to try to solve this puzzle. You can't stop her."

Professor Oak, who always—no matter what the circumstances—kept his cool, looked murderous. He had, for all intents and purposes, just been betrayed. That was a difficult thing for anyone to face. "If you agree to this, Hilbert, then you can kiss your chance of being my assistant goodbye. You can kiss your whole career goodbye! You work for me," he snapped, and Hilbert shoved the book into Professor Oak's arms.

"No," Hilbert said calmly, standing tall in front of Oak, "I don't."

And Hilbert turned his back on Professor Oak, walking towards N and saying something to him. Professor Oak stood still without saying a word, but eventually he nodded, saying something Cheren and the other intern before setting his sights back on me. The three walked towards me, sizing up Roxanne and me, but we stood tall.

"I guess it's a race, then," Professor Oak said to me, and I nodded. It was, wasn't it?

"Let the best professor win," I shot back.

Professor Oak smiled, though if it was genuine, I couldn't tell. He was confident—I could see in his eyes that he didn't think he could possibly lose out to me. And maybe I had lost a lot of my confidence. But if Hilbert and Roxanne were here to back me up, to lend me some of _their_ confidence, then I could do this, too.

I watched the three leave the police station, giving them the head start. But that didn't matter to me.

When I turned around to call out to Hilbert, he was already back by my side. I smiled at him, not ashamed or embarrassed. It didn't make a difference when I was with him. Although to think that I had ever doubted that he cared, even for a second… that was shameful. But I could make it up to him somehow.

"Thank you, Hilbert," I said.

He leaned down towards me, his lips against my ear. "Did you actually think I was going to let you get away?" he whispered, and I shook my head as he stood up tall again. No. No, I shouldn't have ever thought he would let me go. He wasn't giving up on me last night when he left—he was trying to help me.

Roxanne cleared her throat, and the two of us turned to face her. N, still held by the two guards, approached the three of us with one of his friendly smiles. I knew those were always genuine, even back in the days when he _had_ been with Team Plasma.

"I think it's time to let the race begin," he said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Yay! After Roxanne had been a super mean gal, she finally saw the light! Yay for character development!

Oh, Professor Oak. I'm sorry for turning you into a butt.


	18. The Race

**Chapter Eighteen – The Race**

I stepped forward with more determination than I even thought I had. Hilbert and Roxanne tagged right along behind me; never had I thought that Roxanne would now be on my team, but Hilbert had always been there for me. All of the friends I thought I lost were right there with me again. Man, I had been so stupid.

Professor Oak and his other interns had to be far ahead of us by now, but I didn't care. As I thought about everything that had happened and all the evidence that had piled up, I realized that I knew exactly who I was looking for. I had known this whole time, but with all the drama associated with this case, I hadn't realized. I may not have known where I was heading, but I knew exactly what I was about to find.

As I walked, stomping my heels a little too hard, Hilbert took my hand and slowed me down. I glanced up at him, and he smiled back at me. He knew that I was ready for this, and he also knew that I this was my chance to shine. But I could also tell from that one little smile that I didn't need to prove myself anymore—I had proved myself enough just by coming back. Although, admittedly, I had Roxanne and Hilbert to thank for that.

It was strange to think that just about a year ago, I had decided to attend the Pokémon Academy just to win Cheren back. Immature and naïve, I didn't quite know what I was getting myself into. But I did have Cheren to thank for getting me here. I had a goal, and looking towards that goal gave me determination almost equal to that which I had now. And, really, that was all I ever needed: a goal and determination.

I didn't reach my goal of winning Cheren back, but that was all right. Goals changed over time; that was part of life. I had a new goal now—and this was one that I would have laughed at the thought of when I first arrived here. In fact, considering it back then would have been horrific. But now, it was the only thing that made any sense anymore.

"What are you thinking, Hilda?" Roxanne asked after a half hour of just walking aimlessly. Her voice was slightly broken from exhaustion, but I wasn't sure I wanted to take a break. I had to admit, though, my calves were beginning to feel the effects of walking up a mountain. I wasn't as fit as I had been as a Pokémon Trainer… "I know you have an idea. Where are we going? And how much longer will it take?"

Hilbert and I stopped, and he dropped my hand. The three of us sat down on a couple of boulders as I tried to come up with some intelligent response to Roxanne's questions. In reality, I didn't really know where I was going. I was looking for the man, not the destination. But I was unfamiliar with Mt. Moon, so this could end up taking hours. Professor Oak and his team would end up finding the real criminal long before us at this point.

But Roxanne was right about one thing: I did have an _idea_—and it was just an idea. If the culprit framing N was who I thought it was, and I was fairly sure that I was correct, then he would look for the most secluded and perfect place he could find—something like a sanctuary. And since forty-three of the fifty Pokémon were still missing, I had a feeling we would find them all with the man. And how easy was it to hide that many Pokémon?

"I have a hunch… there has to be a little haven somewhere on this mountain. It's not one of the caves—it's a forest haven, but it's hard to find and very secluded. There's probably a lot of ferns and heavy forestry," I told them, and Roxanne raised her eyebrows. "Trust me. The man we're looking for is going to be there if he _is_ on this mountain."

After a quick rest, we marched onwards. Time seemed to move slowly, but I was beginning to worry that Professor Oak had gotten there first. If I wanted to continue with the Pokémon Professor Program, then I would need to figure this out before he did. Because there was no way I could continue the program with Oak if I was wrong—he would make sure of that.

Then, I saw it. The woods on the mountain grew ever thinner the higher we went, but out of the corner of my eye I saw a mass of greeneries. I froze, causing Roxanne to walk into me and wobble, but Hilbert grabbed her arm before she fell. I whispered my apologies, but my mind wasn't focused on that. I squinted and looked at the wall of trees and ferns and bushes and leaves to our right. And that was exactly what I wanted to find.

"That's it," I hissed, walking forward as carefully as possible. But before I even took two steps, Hilbert pulled me back. I smiled as I examined his expression, nodding. "I know, I know. I've got this. But if I need back up, then the two of you are more than welcome to back me up. This man is a little crazy—he evaded the police once, and I'm willing to bet that he'll try it again."

Hilbert relaxed his grip on my hand, letting mine slip out of his. "Who is it, Hilda?"

"Ghetsis." I kept my voice low and quiet, sure that the green-haired man would pick up on voices. "The man I suspected from the beginning. It's perfect—he escaped the police several years ago, and what better place to cause trouble than in Kanto? I did a little bit of research a couple of weeks ago; the police force in Kanto has been on top of things since Team Rocket's defeat. Since N came here, it was perfect for Ghetsis to use him once again to turn his plans into a reality. It's the same exact scheme as the one he used in Unova. We should have known since the beginning."

Hilbert nodded, and Roxanne frowned. "But isn't that too convenient?" she asked, and I shrugged. Either way, we were about to find out who was framing N—spitting out answers now wouldn't make the slightest difference. All I knew was that N was innocent and the person behind the kidnappings didn't want to be caught.

The three of us stepped as quietly as possible towards the forest haven. Twigs snapped beneath our feet, but I was hopeful that Ghetsis—or whoever was in that haven—would have to reveal himself in order to escape. But as we grew closer, there was no sign of him escaping. I prayed that he was still inside.

"You again?" a deep, scratchy voice asked, and I smiled. I turned just south of the haven, and standing a few feet down the hill was exactly the man I was looking for. Ghetsis did not appear nearly so pleased. "You always find a way of weaving into my perfect plans, don't you? I never predicted that you would come to Kanto."

I put my hands on my hips, revealing to Ghetsis that I didn't plan on battling him. "I didn't think you would come here, either. But there are only so many places you can run, so I guess it makes sense that you would choose the place that N chose. I have to admit that you're much more predictable than I am."

Ghetsis pursed his lips, still not amused by my arrival or my nonchalant attitude. But I was done crying and being angry—and I was done putting on a false pretense just for someone else. Ghetsis was getting _me_, not the hero of Unova or the girl who followed Cheren here. He would have to deal with the girl who needed to be here.

I held up one finger, and Ghetsis finally smirked. "Now, first of all, you will be placed under arrest when we bring you to the Cerulean Police Department for evading arrest. You will be unable to argue that charge." I held up a second finger, narrowing my eyes. "However, the second charge is still under debate, so I would love to hear a confession from you. Did you or did you not frame N for the Pokémon kidnappings taking place in Cerulean City?"

"I am under no obligation to answer your questions. You have no authority over me, you silly child. I would be careful who you are messing with," Ghetsis retorted, his voice barely more than a whisper but not nearly so gentle. He reached a hand into his tunic, retrieving a Poké Ball from its depths. "I am many times stronger than I was."

I let my arms drop to my sides in an indication that I had no intentions of battling him. The time for battling had long passed; this was now a moment of protecting Pokémon. That was what a Pokémon Professor did, after all. Now that I had my time for battling and bonding with my Pokémon, I now needed to be supportive of the rest of the Pokémon out there. Battling was no longer the answer.

"Actually, I do have authority over you. I certainly do not have the capabilities to arrest you, but as a Pokémon Professor in training, I have every right to question your morals. It is my job to protect the rights of those who cannot speak our language. Now," I snapped, my eyes narrowed, "tell me what you did."

"I did nothing."

I wasted no time calling him out on his trickery. "Liar. You came to Cerulean and found N, but you didn't let him know of your presence. You took up residence here on Mt. Moon—this little haven is perfect, after all, and it allows you to live in secrecy and seclusion. Then, you plotted. You have your mind so set on your twisted plot from your time in Unova that you couldn't get past it—and so you set N up."

I could feel Hilbert behind me, standing so close so as to protect me. Ghetsis, after all, looked like he was growing more and more frustrated with my every word, and he was known for his extreme actions. Still, I never felt safer. Ghetsis would never be able to lay a finger on me, and he was not going to escape.

"That is incorrect. N brought this upon himself. I took him in as my son, and I prepared him for the harsh reality that is life. He failed me," Ghetsis responded, and I smirked. This was good—there was a confession woven in there by his announcement that N brought it upon himself; it insinuated that he knew more.

"So, you decided to bring your slightly-altered plan into action in Cerulean?" I asked, taking a step closer to the wicked man. "You would get what you wanted—power, when everyone lost their Pokémon—and N would go to jail for your crimes. And no one would stand a chance when you revealed yourself. Seems pretty flawless. But it wasn't."

"Because you keep showing up!" Ghetsis yelled, pointing an accusing finger at me, as if he had any right to do so. "Everything would be perfect if you left well enough alone, but you can't keep your nose out of matters that do not concern you! Finding N was the best thing that could have happened, and when he was arrested, I was sure that my problems would be solved. But you just had to show up, didn't you?"

I nodded. Then, my eyes widened. There it was! The confession! There was nothing left to do now but get the Pokémon back and see to it that Ghetsis was arrested. My job was done—I won. But it didn't matter that I beat Professor Oak to the punch. What mattered was that N would be free and the Pokémon would be returned. I did it!

Holy crap.

"We should go for a walk down to the station," I suggested, trying hard to keep my cool.

This suggestion didn't go over well. Ghetsis broke into an awkward run down the mountain side, and Hilbert immediately started off after him. But I just grabbed a Poké Ball from my belt and released Zekrom, the legendary Pokémon I had fought Ghetsis with last time. Maybe this was cheating, but what was the point of having a legendary Pokémon if I couldn't use it?

I smiled at the great black Pokémon. "Stop him, please."

When Roxanne and I met up with Hilbert moments later, Ghetsis was held by Zekrom without a problem. I patted my Pokémon's arm, pleased—and slightly surprised—by how well this had gone. My luck had to be changing for the better.

I winked at the captured man, laughing as he grimaced. "Nice try, Ghetsis. Now, let's go rescue and return those Pokémon."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I apologize for my long hiatus from updating this story, especially when my updates had been so quick beforehand. Must have seemed like a tease. But, unfortunately, life has to come first. However, to those of you who have stuck with me thus far, I thank you! I'm not sure I would have the motivation to continue without you.

A couple people have asked why Rowan hadn't been the one to occupy Oak's role. He seems grumpier, right? My opinion, as someone who has to look into personality and characteristics on a daily basis, is that Rowan may be grumpier, but he cares more about people than Oak does.

Here's the thing: there are many instances in DPPt where Rowan expresses concern for the welfare of the player. He asks if Dawn/Lucas is all right, tells them to be careful, etc. And although he is a grumpy old man, it's impossible to deny that he has developed any sort of positive relationship with the player. So, while Rowan obviously cares a lot about Pokémon, he also cares a lot about people.

Oak, on the other hand, never expresses any concern for Red's safety, and he even forgets his own grandson's name. It is clear that Oak cares for Pokémon—but people? Well, I'm sure he does, but his primary focus is on Pokémon. They come first.

And that, my dear friends, is why I selected Oak for his role, haha.

On another note, does anyone actually know how to pronounce "Ghetsis"?

This concludes the longest author's note of all time.


	19. Find My Way

**Chapter Nineteen – Find My Way**

Hilbert, Roxanne, and I checked in with the police department to make sure that everything was all set. With the information we received from Ghetsis, N would be free just as soon as the paperwork cleared. The stolen Pokémon were being just for a little while to make sure they were all accounted for, and then they would be returned to their Trainers.

"Congratulations," the police chief told me, and I made a little bow. "Thank you for locating Ghetsis and bringing him to justice. He will be extradited to Unova in a short time, and N will be allowed to walk as a free man. We of Cerulean City appreciate all the time and effort you put into this case, and we wish you the best."

I could hardly contain my joy. As soon as I finished up and went outside, I ran towards Hilbert, jumping into his arms and leaning my forehead against his. Hilbert was the source of everything good that had happened to me while I was here in Kanto, and I had been an idiot for taking so long to realize how I felt about him. I had taken for granted everything good, but I couldn't anymore—because Hilbert was at the heart of it all.

When my feet hit the ground again, my forehead still against his and our noses touching, I began, "Hilbert, I—"

"Oh, I… I think someone wants a word with you," Hilbert interrupted, pushing himself away from me and taking a couple steps back. I followed his eyes and looked over my shoulder to find Cheren standing in the doorway of the police station. I could still see Professor Oak through the glass talking with the police chief now. Cheren had clearly left Oak behind to come to seek me out, but I had to admit that I wasn't dreading this upcoming conversation.

The only thing I dreaded was leaving Hilbert to talk to Cheren. Hilbert knew how I had once felt about Cheren, and I didn't want him getting the wrong idea. Cheren and I were over—forever. Sure, he was the man I had followed here, but—just like my goals—my heart changed. There was nothing I was more sure about now.

"Hilbert, I don't have to talk with him," I said, holding onto the collar of Hilbert's suit, but he shook his head.

"No, it's fine. I'll… see you later." Hilbert turned around and walked away, leaving me waving tentatively at him. But I could see the confidence in his eyes—that confidence that he had gotten when he was with me. And he was right; I would absolutely see him later. I would never leave him like that again.

Cheren and I walked towards each other, meeting halfway and standing awkwardly far from each other. But I felt good—I didn't feel weird at all around him anymore, and maybe that was because I still wanted to be friends with him despite everything. I had, after all, grown up with him. I couldn't just forget about all the good times we had.

"Hilda… I'm sorry. You were right," Cheren began just as I opened my mouth to speak, but I was glad I hadn't gotten any words out. A blush crept onto his cheeks, but he swallowed and continued on without much of a pause. He was embarrassed, certainly, but he didn't want to show it. And this was proof to me that he meant what he said—he _was_ sorry. "I didn't take you seriously, and I'm really sorry. I was wrong."

"Wow, thank you, Cheren." I smiled, rubbing my eyes to hide any hint of tears pooling in them. "I really appreciate that."

He stepped a little bit closer to me, but I stood where I was. When we were just a foot or so apart, the awkwardness that had been so apparent before dissipated. I knew just as well as Hilbert did what was coming, but I knew, too, that things would be okay. Cheren and I couldn't just stop being friends after so long, even if he had been a jerk to me.

"And I was wrong about _us_, Hilda. I should have listened to you that night at dinner and that night at the party. You _are_ serious, and I completely doubted your capabilities. That was wrong of me as a friend and as a boyfriend. I shouldn't have let you down like that," Cheren continued, and though I expected him to grab my hand, he made no motion towards me. "I should have asked _you_ to marry me a long time ago."

That was what I had been waiting for—for so long. A year ago, I would have jumped on this opportunity without even considering it. There was, at the time, nothing I wanted more than to be accepted by Cheren—to marry him. I could picture my whole life with him, so perfect and so passionate. It was all I ever wanted.

But I didn't want it anymore.

I frowned, reaching a hand up to Cheren's shoulder and patting it gently. "Oh, Cheren," I said, trying not to sound like I pitied him too much. "Roxanne dumped you, didn't she?"

Cheren's cheeks immediately burned red, and I dropped my arm from his shoulder. Instead, I took his hand, leading him over to a bench and sitting with him there. He was embarrassed, for sure, but I felt sorrier for him than anything else. Roxanne _could_ be harsh—I knew that well. And maybe they didn't deserve each other. But, either way, I felt bad. Being dumped was hard, especially when you were expecting marriage. I could attest for that.

"A year ago, I _dreamed_ every night that you would ask me, and I was devastated when you broke up with me," I told Cheren, still holding onto his hand. "But today, I have to say no." I sighed, shaking my head as I tried to find the right words. "Look, I just got here. I _just_ figured myself out. I don't need to prove myself anymore because I know I can do things right. I can be more than just the hero of Unova."

Cheren nodded but remained silent. He didn't need words anymore because I knew how he felt right now. He was flustered and crazed and worried and embarrassed—and proud, too, because I was his friend in the end.

"You know, Cheren…" I let go of his hand finally, shifting on the bench to face him. He finally looked me in the eye and smiled—a true, genuine smile, something I hadn't seen in a long time. "I owe all of this to you. I thought breaking up with you was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. But you led me here, and look how far I've come now!"

"Hilda, I'm really proud of you."

I smiled. "Me, too." Cheren laughed, and I felt like we were beginning anew again. "I had to find my way, and I found it. You gave me the chance to start all over again and do things that I never thought I could do by myself. You helped me find my way, Cheren. But there's still so much left to do, and I have to go the rest of the way on my own. So, thank you, Cheren. I wouldn't be here without you."

"And thank you, Hilda," Cheren said, and I pulled him into a hug. But he never told me what he was thanking me for. I didn't know, and I couldn't guess. Some things, though, were better left as mysteries to solve later.

We walked back to the police station together; Hilbert was long gone now, probably on his way back in Viridian City. However, Professor Oak, the other intern, and Roxanne were still here. Roxanne smiled at me when I walked into the station with Cheren, clearly holding back laughter and scorn. But Professor Oak didn't smile upon seeing me.

I said my goodbye to Cheren, knowing that I would see him again and things would not be nearly so painful between us. When I turned to walk towards Professor Oak, he was already by my side.

"Hilda, I must admit that I was incorrect." Professor Oak now appeared stoic, neither bothered nor pleased by this admission. I, on the other hand, could not hide my joy. "While I do not agree with your actions today in disobeying my authority as a professor, you—once again—followed your instincts. This is not something you learned just from being the hero of Unova… this is something you learned by being a natural Pokémon Professor."

It had been one thing to hear from Cheren that he had been wrong; he was, after all, my ex-boyfriend and one of my best friends. But there was something better about hearing this from the greatest Pokémon Professor of all time—and it wasn't just my ego that made me feel this way. Professor Oak had betrayed me, and hearing that it had been a mistake was more special than anything else.

"Thank you, Professor," I said, and though I felt I should say more, I couldn't find the words. This had been the best day ever!

It was hard to imagine that I still had to go back to school after all this. I felt like I had faced the world today, but tomorrow and next year and the year after that and the year after that… I would have to return to class and study some more. But I was okay with that. I still had a lot to learn about being a Professor.

And, clearly, one never stopped learning.

As Professor Oak walked away, clearly done with me, as well, Roxanne made her way over and put her hands on her hips. "Was my plan killer or what?"

"Absolutely. I owe you a big thanks, Roxanne. Thank you for talking me out of leaving and for everything you said. I have to admit… I never thought you would be on my side." I laughed nervously, and Roxanne crossed her arms. No matter what, she was still kind of bitchy. That was why this was even more amazing, though. "But thank you. Truly."

She shrugged, waving me off. "I only spoke the truth. You inspired me in a way that I never expected. You never compromised, and I respect that. Plus, it helped when you stopped trying to steal Cheren back. You weren't so much of a threat to me." She winked at me, and I laughed once more. "But, you know, I think you're better off with Hilbert. He was the one who suggested that I try talking to you."

I raised my eyebrows; of course it had been him. "I didn't know that," I muttered, and Roxanne rolled her eyes.

"Of course you didn't… Anyway, I was heading back to my room when I saw him. He said that you were going on about leaving and you said something about getting fired. But he had no idea what was going on. When I told him what I had heard, he asked me to go talk to you since you wouldn't listen to him." Roxanne smiled, although it was slightly bitter, as though she were envious of something. "He really cares about you, you know."

I nodded, my cheeks beginning to burn as I blushed. "I know."

Roxanne leaned towards me, her eyes narrowed. "Then what are you still doing here?" she hissed, and I took a step back in surprise. "It's not very polite making him wait."

* * *

><p>I noticed Hilbert standing outside my dorm as I landed back in Vermilion. I jumped off my Pokémon and sprinted towards him, hugging him from behind once I reached him. He laughed, spinning around to face me. I ran my thumb over his cheek, staring at him and feeling my heart beat hard against my chest.<p>

"You're my reason to stay," I whispered to him.

I stood on my toes, placing my lips upon his. He pulled me tight against him, and I kicked my legs up in the air. He held me around my waist, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Together we stood as one, bodies molded together and lips seeking each other's. I never wanted him to let me go, and I knew he wouldn't. He was always there to help me.

It couldn't be more perfect: Hilbert was, after all, my new goal.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> And there is the moment we've all been waiting for! The Hilbert/Hilda kiss! I couldn't wait any longer for it, haha (it's not actually in the movie or musical at this part).

But we're not done yet! Just one chapter remaining! It's always a bittersweet moment to realize that I'm almost done a story. But I'm always happy that I had the opportunity to write something that readers stuck with, so I thank you. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and I hope you will enjoy the last one, as well.


	20. Epilogue

**Chapter Twenty – Epilogue**

It was amazing how fast five years could go by. One day, I was arriving in Viridian City with no idea what I wanted to do with my life other than get married, and the next, I was sitting on stage holding my diploma in my hands and waiting to give a speech at my graduation from the Pokémon Academy. It was as if I had blinked at the years blurred right by without any warning. And it was amazing how much I would miss this place after everything.

The remaining years of the Pokémon Professor Training Program went by without any more issues. I received another internship the following year after my internship with Professor Oak, this time with a woman named Professor Ivy. The year after, I graduated from the training program and received my license; of course, I still had a little bit of schooling left, but here I was—finally done.

Oh, and Hilbert? He was here today for my graduation, but he had returned to Unova to work with Professor Juniper there. I was so proud of him, and I was honored to call him my boyfriend of four years. He was that much closer to getting that house for his family away from the slums of Nimbasa, and that chip on his shoulder had helped him.

Things had turned out really nicely—in fact, they couldn't get much better for any of us. With age came maturity, and time had turned everyone into such powerful adults. Cheren, Roxanne, Bianca, Hilbert, and I all made it out all right. Considering I hadn't known what I was doing a few years ago, things turned out well.

Even Bianca had her own little happy ending. After breaking Joey the Delivery Guy's nose, the two began dating. I never knew something like that could bring people together, and I joked with her that I should have tried that years ago (which she never liked hearing from me since she was still embarrassed about the whole mishap). At the end of last year, the two married, and Bianca was pregnant with her first child.

That, too, was unbelievable. When I looked at Bianca or Cheren, all I saw were my two best friends who could never grow up. Now, Bianca was starting a family with her husband—who was still in the top percentage of delivery men even as he neared his thirties—and Cheren was graduating the Pokémon Academy with me today.

Once, I might have complained that we were all too old now. But the time came to grow up, and I was happy that it did. While there was something magical about being naïve and retreating into a shell and always having something to fall back on, there was something different about adulthood. Responsibility, which many people didn't want to take, actually made me feel human. It was even more magical than naivety.

So, as we all sat here—whether on stage or in the audience or in the pool of graduates—we all prepared to take the oath of responsibility. I knew we could do it. If I could, they could, too.

"Today marks a momentous occasion for many, and that does not only hold true for the graduates sitting in front of me and behind me," Roxanne said from the podium. Our class had elected her as class speaker, and I was glad they had; she was the best speaker I knew, and she was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. "There are parents who will watch their babies grow up and move on in a way very different from our Pokémon journeys. There are professors who taught us everything we know and now rely on us to spread their knowledge further. There are friends and family from home who laughed at us when we told them we wanted to go back to school."

There were some laughs of agreement in the crowd in front of us, and I smiled. For me, it wasn't so much that my friends laughed at me when I told them I wanted to go back to school—they laughed at me because it seemed impossible, at the time, that I would succeed. And I didn't blame them; if I was the person I was when I came to the Academy, I wouldn't be with the rest of the graduates here.

"Yet, in addition to all these people who shaped us, it is important that we recall the friends we made _here_ because they are the ones who will provide back up when you need it most." Roxanne glanced back at me and winked. She certainly had provided me with all the backup I ever needed while I was here, and I liked to think that I had helped her, too.

Roxanne faced the audience again, brushing the hair out of her face. "Over the past five years, I learned that being true to yourself never goes out of style. This was not something I learned from class or from books—although this information is useful. This was something I learned from one of my best friends. So, remember to be yourself, and you will succeed in everything you do." Roxanne collected the papers from her speech on the podium and leaned forward against the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your valedictorian, Hilda."

I was met with thunderous applause like I had never heard before. I laughed as I rose to my feet, and I hugged Roxanne as she walked by to take her seat. This was a moment I wouldn't soon forget; once, I was a joke here on campus. But it was amazing to see how true Roxanne's words were—being true to yourself will always pay off.

"To my fellow graduates, I congratulate you," I said into the microphone as I settled myself at the podium. I decided—and maybe this was a poor decision—that I wouldn't write down my speech (after countless scrapped drafts and several discussions with Hilbert). But I thought that spur of the moment decisions had worked surprisingly well for me, and although this was no habit to live by, I thought it might help my speech.

"When we first arrived here at the Academy, we may have known only a few faces—not many or maybe not any. In fact, for a few of us, this was our first time leaving our region. It was scary. No one could guess what was about to unfold here. No one could guess what friends you'd make. But, in a way, I'm glad that no one could tell me what things would be like here."

I folded my hands together, leaning in towards the microphone and smiling. "There will always be bumps in the road. There will always be high points. Yet… this experience was what you made of it. Did you turn those bumps in the road into learning opportunities? Did you share your secrets of success with your new friends and anyone else who needed them? Were you honest with yourself? Did you promote integrity?

"I hope that the answers to these questions are yes, but if they're not—don't worry!" A couple of people laughed in the audience. "You have time to figure yourself out. If you made it this far, you can make it the rest of the way. I have faith in you. Your friends and family have faith in you. Your professors have faith in you. And I know that every single person graduating today will make the best Pokémon professors."

I paused as some people in the crowd whooped or clapped, but this was a good stopping point to reflect upon. It was true—everyone in here would be marvelous. Our class was small; only the best had been sieved out of the bunch. But this made it that much better. We would always be friends, and we would always be around to provide back up.

"So, I leave you with this," I concluded as the clapping died down. "As you head off into the world, remember that first impressions are not always the only impression to consider; you must always have faith in each other; and you must always have faith in yourself. Congratulations to my fellow graduates—_we did it!_"

The crowd—the graduates, the parents, the professors—burst to life, cheering so loudly that I almost felt blown away from the podium. I stepped back down, covering my mouth to stop anyone from seeing how hard I was laughing. And in a few moments time, when it was finally time to say goodbye, that laughter would turn to tears.

"Thank you, Hilda," Roxanne said as she rose back to the microphone. I nodded to her, taking my seat again. "Now, we have one last very important order of business to attend to before we send all of you off into the world. Faith is not a stand-alone idea. In addition to faith, we must _love_ each other. And I don't know a more perfect example of love than that between the woman who just left this microphone and her boyfriend, Hilbert."

My cheeks immediately burned up, and I gaped at Roxanne. What did she think she was doing?

"Hilbert, why don't you come up here for a minute?" Roxanne asked, and I shook my head. What was going on?

Hilbert rose from his spot in the audience and bounced up the stairs to the platform on which the podium stood. He winked at me as he passed me, and I felt my breath catch in my throat. He hadn't told me that he had planned a speech or anything, although it made sense, seeing as he had been valedictorian of _his_ class. But why didn't he say anything?

"Hi, everyone," he began, and a few people chuckled in the crowd. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Hilbert, and I graduated a couple years back from the Academy. I was an assistant in multiple classes, so I'm sure that most of the graduates here have seen me around. So, I'm not just some stranger popping up here and interrupting your graduation."

I laughed along with the majority of the crowd, but my heart was pounding so hard against my chest that the laugh felt much more nervous than I wanted.

"I hope you all don't mind if I take a moment of your time for… purely selfish reasons." Hilbert chuckled quietly, though the sound screamed back from the speakers. "The Academy prepared me for many things—being a professor, for one, life for another. But love hit me like bricks, and that's something nothing can ever prepare you for.

"So, I'm going out on a limb here. I've spent four wonderful years with Hilda, and I'm looking to making that a lifetime." I sucked in my breath as Hilbert turned away from the microphone, and as he began to walk towards me and pull something out of his pocket, my heart just about stopped completely.

Hilbert stopped in front of me, bending down on one knee and holding a little black box in front of me. The tears began before I even knew what was happening, and though I wanted to look around and see the reactions from everyone else—specifically Roxanne, who clearly knew this was going to happen—I couldn't take my eyes off Hilbert.

"Hilda," he whispered, as though he was still on the microphone and he didn't want anyone else to hear him. "You have turned that chip on my shoulder into something I'm proud of, and I can't picture myself spending my life with anyone but you. So, will you do the honor of being my wife and making me the happiest man I know?"

I jumped down off my chair, throwing myself at him and hugging him so tightly that he might break. There were oohs and aahs and claps and cheers from the crowd, but as I held Hilbert and nodded, he was the only one I saw.

"Of course. Of course, yes," I whispered back, kissing him full on the mouth. As we broke apart, I leaned my forehead against his and smiled. "I will always be rightfully yours."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> This fanfiction was based on the movie/musical "Legally Blonde" (more so the musical than the movie, although many aspects—such as Elle's speech at the end—of the movie are still incorporated throughout). Many of you guessed it correctly, but for those of you who still wondered, there you go. :) It's a great musical, so I hope you all have a chance to see it someday.

And here's where I take my bow and give my thanks. Thank you for following me through this story. I was actually surprised by how many people took to it—I didn't realize that it would end up being more popular than many of my other fanfictions, so I thank you for that, as well.

I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you once again for reading all the way to the end. :)

Song correspondence to chapters (in case you're interested):

1. Omigod You Guys – No chapter correspondence

2. Serious – Chapter One

3. What You Want – Chapter Two

4. The Harvard Variations – Chapter Three

5. Blood in the Water – Chapter Four

6. Positive – Chapter Five

7. Ireland – Chapter Six

8. Ireland (Reprise) – Chapter Six

9. Serious (Reprise) – Chapter Seven

10. Chip on My Shoulder – Chapter Eight and Chapter Nine

11. So Much Better – Chapter Eleven

12. Whipped into Shape – Chapter Twelve

13. Take It Like a Man – Chapter Thirteen

14. Bend and Snap – Chapter Fourteen

15. There! Right There! – Chapter Fifteen

16. Legally Blonde – Chapter Sixteen

17. Legally Blonde Remix – Chapter Seventeen

18. Omigod You Guys (Reprise) – No chapter correspondence

19. Find My Way – Chapter Nineteen and Chapter Twenty


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